– Omnis laus, gloria et adoratio Deo, dum Universitate Centrali Baguio octoginta annos excellentiae celebratur.
Baguio Central University expresses its profound thanksgiving to the Almighty, as it celebrates eight-decade journey of transformative education—nurturing critical thinkers, cultivating servant-leaders, and empowering changemakers who reshape communities and uplift the Philippines and beyond.
From Ashes to Ascendancy: A Dream Born in 1945
In the aftermath of World War II, when the nation lay in ruins and hope seemed fragile, the late Godofredo H. Fernandez and his wife, Dr. Margarita Joven Fernandez, planted a seed of possibility. In 1945, they opened Centro Academy—a vocational school designed to equip war survivors with practical skills for rebuilding their lives and their country. What began as a modest endeavor would become an enduring legacy of educational excellence.
By 1949, recognizing the deeper aspirations of their students, the Fernandezes expanded their vision, adding a high school academic program and renaming the institution Centro Industrial School. This was more than an institutional evolution—it was a commitment to providing pathways for those who might otherwise be denied access to higher learning.
The 1950s marked a transformation. As the Cordillera region grew, so did the institution’s mission. The vocational school became a private corporation, and between 1951 and 1953, college programs emerged: Bachelor of Arts, Education, and Business Administration. By 1953, Engineering joined; by 1955, graduate education with the Master of Arts in Education. The institution’s name evolved through these years—from Eastern Philippine Colleges to Lyceum of Baguio—each iteration reflecting its expanding identity and impact.
On December 2, 1978, a milestone was reached: Dr. Margarita J. Fernandez became the first president of the newly chartered Baguio Central University. The dream blossomed into a university, standing as a testament to visionary leadership, unwavering faith, and dedication to societal transformation.
Decades of Innovation and Expansion
Under Dr. Fernandez’s stewardship, BCU flourished. The Growing-Up Learning Center (1987), caregiver programs (2001), and the ETEEAP program (2002) recognized that learning transcends classroom walls. The College of Medicine—the second in the Cordillera Administrative Region—and the College of Criminology (2003) addressed regional needs.
The 21st century brought accreditation milestones through PACUCOA and FAAP. In 2011, Margarita Cecilda Bulaqueña Rillera, MBA, granddaughter of Dr. Fernandez, assumed the presidency, honoring the virtues of libertad (liberty), justitia (justice), veritas (truth), and equitas (equity) while leading BCU toward new horizons.
Rising, Reflecting, and Researching: Celebrating 80 Years
October 13, 2025 carried the crisp Cordilleran chill as well as anticipation, purpose, and pride. As the Hall brimmed with faculty researchers and student presenters, the 15th University Research Colloquium officially launched BCU’s 80th Founding Anniversary celebrations with the theme: “Rise, Reflect, and Research: Building a Legacy of Innovation.”
BCU’s eight-decade journey has cultivated professionals, scholars and innovators committed to advancing knowledge for the common good. Papers presented ranged across disciplines—each one reflecting the multifaceted commitment to addressing real-world challenges through rigorous inquiry and ethical scholarship.
The jubilee year brought international affirmation of BCU’s innovative spirit. In 2025, Baguio Central University achieved 302nd place in the World University Rankings for Innovation—a recognition that evaluates institutions on their contributions to addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges.
This achievement validates what generations of BCU stakeholders have known: that excellence is measured in lives transformed, communities strengthened, and solutions created.
A Living Legacy
Today, the University stands as a thriving institution—a living testament to what vision, faith, and commitment can achieve.
The 80th Founding Anniversary celebration has been a joyful cascade of meaningful events: the Research Colloquium on October 13, 2025, launched the festivities. The Mr. and Ms. BCU 2025 Coronation Night on November 28 celebrated student excellence and campus culture. December brought a flurry of community-building activities—several community extension activities, the BCU Fun Run and Employees Sportsfest on December 6, and the 7th Library Books Exhibit showcasing “Eight Decades of Academic Excellence.”
The pinnacle of the celebration arrived on December 15, 2025, when President Dr. Margarita Cecilda B. Rillera, joined by her family, presided over the Employees Recognition and Awarding Ceremony at the Cordillera Convention Hall, Baguio Country Club. This tribute honored the dedicated faculty and staff whose tireless service has been the backbone of BCU’s eight-decade journey of excellence.
Beyond the celebrations, BCU’s true legacy lives in its people. Thousands of alumni serve as educators, engineers, criminal justice personnel, hospitality and tourism managers, administrators, nurses and midwives, business leaders, and public servants across the Philippines and the world. They carry with them the values instilled within BCU’s halls: the pursuit of truth, the exercise of justice, the embrace of liberty, and the practice of equity.
Watch the Employees Recognition and Awarding Ceremony
As we honor 80 years, we celebrate the founders who dared to dream amid devastation. We honor the educators and personnel who invested in countless futures. We acknowledge the students who trusted BCU to prepare them for meaningful lives. And we commit ourselves to the decades ahead—with even greater courage, innovation, and faithfulness to our founding mission.
To conclude, we continue to revere God as we mark eight decades of BCU’s mission—transforming lives that enlightens the mind, ennobles the spirit, and empowers action for the common good.
Ad maiorem Dei gloriam – To the greater glory of God, and to the next 80 years of service.
