Buenavista Institute alive and well

BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte – While on an extended vacation far and away from Dan Brown’s Manila, I have the privilege of writing about persons and institutions in cities and small towns in Mindanao that hardly find print except during calamities or encounters between military and splinter groups of rebel forces.

Today’s topic is Buenavista Institute, which was founded in 1947, the first high school in this first-class municipality in Agusan del Norte. Seventy-one years ago in June 1947, a mild-mannered educator, Candido Pareja Tan Sr., from Mobo, Masbate, set it up as the first high school in a quiet, sparsely populated town, which today has 25 barangays with a population of 61,614 people.

Tan, a graduate of Far Eastern University in Manila, wanted to provide education to poor but deserving students in the secondary level. BI is a member of the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSU).

Now 72 years old, BI is alive and well. Its first classes were held on the first floor of the Tan residence; then in 1967, in a building on a 6,000 sq. m. lot on a street that is now called Candido P. Tan Sr. street as passed by  a municipal ordinance.

When Tan passed away, his son Andres served as school director from 1976 to 2017. Moving on on Sept. 23 last year, he was the fourth of five Tan children, the others, also deceased, were Cherrie, Lilli, Candido Jr., and Noel. Andres obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration from Silliman University in Dumaguete City. He served as Buenavista municipal councilor for 18 years, then as provincial board member of Agusan del Norte. 

Today, the third and fourth generations of the Tan family are managing the school. Andres’ daughter, Joanna Lee Tan Caseras, is school director, and her brother Mark is in charge of maintenance as well as of the cookery course. Joanna’s son, Matthew Ray, a top student in his geology class at Adamson University in Manila, is the students’ academic affairs specialist.

BI is one of two private institutions out of 11 educational institutions in Buenavista. Since its founding, it has graduated some 10,000 high school students.

Of the 417 current enrollees, 20 are in pre-school; 82 in elementary, 230 in junior high, and 85 in senior high.

Joanna told this columnist that BI is “up to the times,” adopting computer technology in offices and in all year levels as one subject. It uses the Philsmite Management System (RFID) with notifications on students’ attendance, grades and status billing on a downloadable App. As the school’s promo flyer says, “The school offers its service to the community through its efficient teachers, on-line researches, developing talents, physical facilities and its Christian community where unity and understanding prevails. All honor and glory is offered to God Almighty.”

Joannna said BI has a secured campus, air conditioned classrooms, “loving and efficient” teachers, a school transportation service, and English language as MTB-MLE. 

The school’s students have won Metrobank math challenges, participated in science fairs in different schools, and have won in impromptu speaking, oration, essay writing, talumpati, and science journalism in the NAMCYA 2nd National Level and science journalism in 1976.

BI was nearly foreclosed for failure to pay a loan with a bank due to expenses incurred before the death of school director Andres Tan.

 But a generous alumna, Dr. Leticia Cebrian Salas, owner of Saint Joseph Institute of Technology in Butuan City, willingly came to the rescue and paid the loan,  on the condition that BI repays her in three years. Joanne is optimistic BI will comply with her request.

With basic education earned, many BI graduates do more than good in college and the outside world. Alumni success stories are those of town executives Percianita Rano and Francisco Chan Jr., mayors of Buenavista; Felix Prin of Magsaysay, Mis. Or., and Isaias Masendo of Talacogon, Agusan del Sur.

Two graduates are regional directors – Achina Mantilla-DOLE 13, and lawyer Rene Burdeos, DILG 7.

Two have worked with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the US – Dr. Lindy Dejame, a doctor of physics, and Engr. Ledovin Mantilla, class valedictorian, 1950, one of the engineers who designed the Boeing 747 engine.

Joanna graduated as high school class valedictorian at BI, and got her BS in biology at Silliman University, and a master of arts (with the highest academic achievement award), and a doctor of education at Southwestern University in Cebu City. She joined BI as teacher, coach on competitions in science and communication both oral and written; and became its school principal. Last October, she was inducted school director by the board of trustees, chaired by Andres’ widow, Joanna’s mother, Toribia Tan.

Joanna received the Gintong Ilawan Teodora Alonso Educators Award given by Avon. Joanna’s husband is a physician working with an oil rig company in the United States. Their other three children are Corina Zia, a medical student; Celine June, a medical technologist, and Luke Seymor, a seventh grader.

If you’re wondering about the beginnings of Buenavista, historical records provided by Joanna say during the 1800s, a group of nomadic Manobo from the frontiers of Agusan found an ideal place for their temporary fishing retreat and rendezvous. Soon, the village of Tortosa was founded by two Christian pioneers, Innocentes Paler and Marcelo Dalaguida, who were later on joined by Luis Gupana and a handful of Manobo. It was said that Adolfo Calo, a native of Butuan, together with some natives and Spaniards visited the place. At the top of the hill they saw the village overlooking the sea. They appreciated the beauty of nature in abundance. They exclaimed “Bien Vista,” which means “Good View” – thus the present name Buenavista.

Sometime in early 1920s, Buenavista was declared a regular barrio of the then Municipality of Butuan. On Jan. 1, 1937 the barrio of Buenavista, through Executive Order No. 65 issued by Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, became a municipality of Buenavista through the efforts of Assemblyman Apolonio Curato and Governor Jose Rosales, Commissioner of Mindanao and Sulu Teofisto Guingona Sr., and Secretary of Interior, Elpidio Quirino, with a set of appointed officials to serve for a period of one year.

Joanna cites BI’s vision for 2020 as “A Time to Build Up.” This means renovations and construction of new buildings and laboratories. 

God bless Buenavista Institute!

* * *

MORE ON MY GINGOOG CITY. About an hour and a half away from Buenavista is Gingoog City. Applying for the registration of my pick-up truck was quick and easy. But applying for a water connection with the Water District was an even more pleasant exercise. Last week, 15 of us Gingoog resident applicants listened to Engr. Danilo Gabin of Division Mgr-C give a pep talk on the proper use of water – “water is life, we can do without electricity, but not without water.” He spoke about paying our water bill on or before payment is due, otherwise we’re charged P200 a day after the date. And he mentioned customers cursing technicians who cut off their connection, and neighbors cutting each other’s connection for being stingy or quarrelsome. He taught us to read water meters. “So be kind and generous to your neighbors,” he told us.  It was good listening to a manager giving tips on the wise use of water. And, oh, he began his 30-minute lecture with a prayer. Can you beat that?

* * *

Email: [email protected]