Garcia College of Technology
A legacy of a lifetime
BY DR MALYN I. VILLANUEVA

The GARCIA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY (GCT) is a private college located along Osmeña Avenue in Kalibo, Aklan. It was founded in 1968 by the late spouses Don Florencio M. Garcia and Doña Enrica Reyes Garcia, who served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors up to 1983.

Their sons Eric, Levy, and Edwin were members of the Board of Directors, and successors as the Chairman of the Board in 1984 and 1985, with the latter holding that position up to the present.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
GCT – the first ever engineering school in the province of Aklan – was established in answer to a call for advancement in the technological fields and educational needs of the youth of Aklan, Antique, Romblon, Capiz, and other neighboring provinces in Western Visayas (Region VI).
In 1968, the College applied for and later got its permit to operate curricular offerings in Bachelors of Science in Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering; Commerce majors in Business Management and Accounting; Industrial Education; Bachelor of Arts majors in English and Mathematics; Associate in Geodetic Engineering; Diploma in Secretarial Science; and vocational courses.

Edwin Reyes Garcia served as its first president, Engr. Ariston Huliganga as the first dean and Emiliano Fernandez as registrar. The members of the faculty of instruction were made up of young and pioneering but determined instructors, who were all raring to prove to all and sundry that excellence is not reserved for big institutions alone.
The Garcia College of Technology along Osmeña Avenue in Kalibo, Aklan.GCT started with only 398 enrollees – 107 for Engineering courses; 11 for Commerce; 55 for the Bachelor of Arts; 25 for Industrial Education; 72 for Diploma in Secretarial Science and 128 for vocational courses.
Government recognition for vocational and secretarial courses was granted to the College in 1969.

In the same year, Engr. Peter Ureta joined the College as executive vice president and dean. But when he applied for a study leave in 1973, Juanita Dela Cruz was appointed as Administrative officer and dean of the College until 1987. She was succeeded by Edwin Garcia and Violeta Distor, who, up to now, is the president/dean and Administrative officer of the College, respectively.
In 1972, government recognition for Engineering courses, the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Industrial Education was granted.
Additional programs were offered: B.S. in Accountancy (1990), ladderized programs for B.S. in Office Administration (1990), Associate in Secretarial Computer Education (1990), B.S. in Computer Science (2003), Associate in Computer Science (2003), B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Management (2005) and Associate in HRM (2005); B.S. in Information Technology and Information Management (2005).
At the time of its founding, the school’s campus was located along Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes St., in Kalibo, Aklan. But in 1996, it transferred to its new building named the GCT Building I along Osmeña Avenue.

Due to the increasing population of the College, the GCT Building II in Estancia in Kalibo was constructed in a half-hectare area. It has a laboratory for HRM, a "hometel" with four fully-air-conditioned rooms and air-conditioned function hall fully equipped with modern facilities.

It is here where classes for HRM subjects and engineering laboratory subjects are conducted. The College seal symbolizes the first courses offered by Garcia College of Technology. Its e-mail address is gctkalibo@yahoo.com.
PRESENT TIMES
Strengthening national and international linkages with educational agencies, businesses, industries, government, and labor, the Garcia College of Technology is committed to provide quality education to students and to develop the full potentialities and capabilities of the individual.
GCT’s educational programs provide solid grounding in all core disciplines with emphasis on the ethical environment of the business and industry. It envisions helping men and women achieve their dreams so that they can contribute to the development of society.

It provides effective administration in promoting quality education and develops the full potentialities and capabilities of the individual. It provides an environment conducive to holistic learning of the faculty, staff and students.
GCT has highly qualified faculty in order to render efficient, effective and quality of instruction to the students. The College has pooled out its resources to upgrade its facilities. It continues to plan strategies in the implementation and development of program improvement, as well as the improvement of curriculum and instruction, personnel, and planning and evaluation in promoting quality education.
Since the College aims to develop the potentials and capabilities of its Accountancy graduates, the Accounting Incubation and Review Program, with Sonny Parman, CPA, as the mentor, was formed in 1997. This is an answer to the GCT Accounting graduates who are potential CPA Board passers but are hindered because of financial problem.

This program is made possible through designing complete and comprehensive self-review program for reviewees who have entrusted their CPA Board preparation to this program; preparing and facilitating systematic review program that will lead to high probability of passers; closely monitoring and evaluating progress of students under the program; designing individualized day-to-day program of some reviewees while undergoing review at the review center; conducting continuous research and study in relation to the intricacy of CPA Board Exam; and offering carefully designed self-review program for the incoming second, third and fourth year Accountancy students of the College.
The effort of the faculty who untiringly supported these endeavors did not end in vain for in academic years 1997-2002, GCT was awarded a certificate of recognition for outstanding performance in the pursuit of quality education as exemplified by ranking 6th in the licensure examination for Certified Public Accountants in Western Visayas.
The Engineering Pre-Review course of the College was put up in 2005 with the aim to obtain high percentage of passing and to produce board topnotchers in the licensure examinations for Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering administered by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC). This program envisioned engineers with ability, skills and knowledge and is expected to be world-class engineers in any workforce.

The pre-review course includes subjects in Engineering Mathematics, Engineering Sciences and allied subjects, and major subjects in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Extra efforts were exerted by Engrs. Flor Dexter Padaboc, Darryl Quindor, Boysie Tejada, Leslie Cabanez, and Dr. Arnulfo Distor, Sr. as review staff; and Engr. Jolenie Hing as program director, as well as the Department Chairs for Engineering.
Moreover, this pre-review class helps students monitor and analyze their weaknesses in solving possible problems in the Board Examinations. Students will be evaluated if their stored knowledge and ability are sufficient enough for formal review after their graduation.
The performance of its graduates in both Engineering and CPA Board Examinations (with some of them in the top), the competition in the global arena of professional certifications, the success of its graduates, and the interpersonal effectiveness of the organization give the College a special identity among the different dimensions in the marketplace.
In November 2006, Valfre Clarito, CPA, magna cum laude (2003), competed in the global arena of professional certification and passed the Global Qualifying Test for Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) as released by the Institute of Internal Auditors Philippines.

He is one of the 174 new Filipino passers from 4,000 passers worldwide. Placers in the licensure examination are Cristy Cezar (7th Place, CPA Licensure, 2006), Engr. Mark Derven Rico (13th Place, Registered Electrical Engineer, 2005), Engr. Hegie Rembulat (2nd Place, Civil Engineer, 1993), Engr. Teresa Intano (3rd Place, Registered Electrical Engineer, 1995); Engr. Noe Arca (9th Place Registered Electrical Engineer, 1995), Engr. Leovigildo Lumio (9th Place, Professional Electrical Engineer, 1998), Engr. Gina De Leon (7th Place, Geodetic Engineer, 1994), and Felinor Suco (1st Place, Registered Master Electrician, 1997).
Moreover, GCT is the only college in the Aklan that has produced CPA and Engineering Board placers in the top 20. Other graduates excel in their chosen fields of endeavor.
The College has a number of student organizations that cover a variety of interests: the GCT Supreme Student Council, Associate of Civil Engineering Students, Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Association of Mechanical Engineering Students, Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers; Society of Electrical Engineering Students, Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers, Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants, Students In Free Enterprise, and P.E. Club.

Aside from this, there is also an active GCT Alumni Association. GCT has a student-run magazine, The Garcian, a semestral publication of GCT students. It has been in print since 1969 and remains devoted to news on campus, as well as issues of national concern.
Now on its 38th year of existence and with a student population of 1,700, the Garcia College of Technology has withstood the trials for years. Its successful graduates are living testimonials for its success. Its ever-increasing student population every year is an inspiration for the GCT community to do more until the apex of success is reached. Indeed, the Garcia College of Technology is an institution committed to affordable and accessible quality education.