History of the School
Digos Central Adventist Academy, Inc. (DCAA) formerly Digos SDA Elementary School (DCSDAES)
was established in December 1984 in Lapu-lapu Extension, Digos City. It was founded through faith with a strong determination whose paramount objective is to serve the children in Davao del Sur by providing quality and holistic education. Through the dedication and commitment of the church brethren, the school serves as the refuge of the youth.
The brethren of Digos Central SDA Church once dreamed to operate an elementary school. Everyone aspired to behold a school building with a sound educational program where the children of the church members will be nurtured in faith through Christian Education. The neighboring residents also wished to have a walking distance school where inclement weather could not harm their children’s desire to learn. Due to the insufficiency of financial resources, the plan was not immediately realized.
In 1984, the Church Board created a School Board with Atty. Fausto T. Oliverio as its elected Chairman. He spearheaded the groundbreaking of the school building on the 2nd of December of that year.
The creation of the school formally started with the registration of the corporation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It was followed by the preparation of the feasibility study conducted by Miss Nilda P. Arañas, then Secretary of the Board. The said feasibility study was dubbed as among of the roster of the best feasibility studies in the province during that period. The incorporators then spent their own finances for the initial construction of the classrooms.
The late Maximiano Oliverio, Sr. leased a parcel of land to the school with amicable conditions in order to meet the required number of square meters for the land area requirement of then Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (MECS), now Department of Education. Although source of funds were still unstable, the School Board risked itself in putting together the necessary construction materials.
Academic Year (AY) 1985-1986 was fast approaching, the classrooms were now ready for use but the permit to operate was still withheld. The requirements were not yet fully fulfilled to convince the Davao del Sur Schools Division (Digos, then a municipality was still part of the province-wide school division) that the school was ready to hire teachers and accept enrollees.
In the midst of the search for a solution to the problem, the late Mrs. Mercedes G. Gomez, a neighbor and a very close friend of Atty. Fausto T. Oliverio, came to offer for help with the full assurance that the school would be opened for business for AY 1985-1986. Mrs. Gomez, then the Supervisor assigned as Private Schools Area Coordinator of the School Division,
temporarily registered the school as an annex of Digos SDA Elementary School (now Digos Center SDA Elementary School), located along Rizal Avenue, Digos City.
Until in October 1985 the school was granted permit by the government. It eventually became operational and offered complete elementary course and hired seven competent teachers with the late Mrs. Elizabeth B. Batiancila as its first Principal. Four years later, the government finally recognized the school’s elementary program upon the issuance of Government Recognition No. 018, s. 1989.
From then on, the school served the youth in making changes in their lives. It serves, not only the children of the members of the church, but all learners regardless of religious denomination and affiliation. Its accomplishments were pieces of evidence that the school has fulfilled its mission. One of which was in 1991 when the school won the First Place in the Southern Asia Pacific Division-wide Operation Beautification Contest.
Years has passed, the school continues to offer quality Christian education by focusing on the needs of its students and the demands of the society. The school also adapts gradually to the changing paradigm of education where 21st century technology has been incorporated to the teaching-learning process. With its goal to keep abreast with the evolving demands of education, the school applied for and was granted with 2-year accreditation by the Adventist Accrediting Agency of the Southern Asia Pacific Division.
In AY 2011-2012, the school was officially renamed Digos Central Adventist Academy, Inc. (DCAA) after it started to offer Grades 7 and 8. This is in response to the Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum widely known by its K to 12 program. In just a few years, its community saw the magnanimous development it underwent from the number of structures built, the increasing number of student population, and the achievements it had from co-curricular competitions it had participated.
To name a few, new building for the Junior High School (Grades 7-10) and Pre-school Program (Nursery and Kindergarten), a multi-purpose covered court, and new canteen were built. After about two years, its Kindergarten program was granted with Government Recognition 001, s.2014. The year after, its High School (Junior High School) program was granted with Government Recognition No. 001, s.2015. All of these were achieved with the hard work of its School Board Officers, Faculty & Staff headed by its School &
HRQA Administrator – R. Mikeal A. Allarde as well as to the support of its parents.
In AY 2015-2016, DCAA officially becomes a participating school of the Education Contracting System (ECS). This is under DepEd’s Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE). It also becomes a member school of Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE).
At present, DCAA is applying to operate Senior High School Program in AY 2016-2017. Thus, it looks forward for the construction of a new school building that is expected to be fully operational as soon as possible. It is also in the process of improving its academic facilities to meet the requirements set by DepEd. Moreover, the school encourages the teachers to update
its skills by applying for NC II from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and to be upgraded professionally by earning a master’s degree.
DCAA comes this far because of the commitment, dedication, and support of the School Board, the administration and staff, the faculty members, the parents, the students, and the rest of its stakeholders. Above all, the success and development it has earned are all because of God’s outpouring blessings, guidance, and love.
To God be the glory!