Naga View Adventist College

Naga View Adventist College (formerly Naga View Academy) was conceived in 1950 when the leadership of the North Philippine Union Mission felt the educational needs of the increasing number of Seventh-day Adventist young people in the Bicol Region who were studying in non-Seventh-day Adventist Schools. It was November 3, 1954 when a 106- hectare land situated 1000 feet above sea level on the Western slope of Mt. Isarog, 17 kilometers away from Naga City proper, the “Heart of Bicol” was purchased by the North Philippine Union Mission under the leadership of the NPUM President, Elder Todd Murdoch.

The Pioneering Days

          Immediately after the purchase of the land, Mr. Neri Alcantara, an agriculturist, pioneered the agricultural work. He developed an orchard with the help of some men and five carabaos. Later, a tractor was purchased to facilitate farming. In 1963, Pastor Arsenio Poblete and a group of carpenters came and immediately started constructing the administration building.

          Pastor Arsenio Poblete Sr., the first principal, spearheaded the academic program, which began on July 19, 1965 with sixty-two students and seven faculty and staff. Mr. Laureano Cebrean was called to take the place of Alcantara who had to say goodbye to Naga View just before the opening of classes for he had accepted a call to be a missionary to a foreign land. Food was abundant in the campus including the ration of bulgur wheat, flour, powdered milk and cheese from abroad but life was quite difficult due to lack of water supply and the absence of electricity.

          The white house was the first building in the campus occupied by the agriculturist and the single male teachers. Unfortunately that white house was totally demolished by the super typhoon Reming in November 2006. In 1965, the administration building served as the students’ dormitory, faculty residence and classrooms. The cafeteria, library, laboratory and the chapel were also found in this building. Only two classrooms were available for regular class periods so the porch area was also occupied and used as a classroom.

          On each end of the building was attached a water reservoir which receives the rain from the roof during rainy season. But as the rain becomes less frequent, the group experiences hardship. The 300-feet water pump 300 meters away from the administration building could not give sufficient supply of water, and when the pump is broken it would take weeks or months before it could be repaired. Whenever there is no rainwater, and the pump is out of order, the school family goes to the nearest spring (200 meters away) to wash their faces and would bring back a little amount of water for brushing their teeth and washing their feet. During dry season, teachers and students go to Yabu River at the foot of Mt. Isarog to take a bath and wash their clothes.

          The following year, the school became a senior academy and 14 students graduated in 1967. A year later, 1968, Pastor Enrico Fontamillas became the principal. It was during his leadership when the primary school was opened with seven pupils and two Quonset houses were built for its growing staff. In 1969 another faculty quarter was built and in 1970 the two dormitories were built from the ingathering money.