Perpetual @48: Building the Nation towards excellence

Perpetual has been a home to Perpetualites for many years. It has conquered greatest heights, climbed the highest mountains, and still stands strong in pursuit of excellence.

In the growing municipality of Las Piñas, Dr. Antonio Laperal Tamayo established the Perpetual Help College of Rizal (PHCR) on February 5, 1975 together with his wife Dr. Daisy Moran Tamayo and friend Ernesto Crisostomo as co-founders. Dr. Antonio anchored the school on the motto "Character Building is Nation Building."

Dr. Antonio’s parents were Dr. Jose G. Tamayo, the grand patriarch and Dr. Josefina Laperal Tamayo, the grand matriarch of the University Perpetual Help System (UPHS). Aside from running a school and a hospital, Dr. Josefina was also pre-occupied in rearing her twelve children, especially her 8 carefree sons. But with her fervent prayers to our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, slowly she was guided to change the wayward ways of her children. As a devotee of Mother of Perpetual Help, the hospital and school were named after her patron saint. Looking back to its humble beginnings, the first school building consisted of only four floors, catering to 185 nursing and high school students. And 20 years later, the school had expanded its premises when it established two branches in Molino in 1995 and Calamba in 1996. The name of Perpetual Help College of Rizal was changed in 1997 when the Commission on Higher Education recognized it as a University. The granting of the status gave birth to the name we are familiar with today: the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA. DALTA is the acronym of the founders' names: Daisy-Antonio-Laper- al-TAmayo.

Currently, Perpetual continues to build the nation through what its founders have stood for and believed in for 48 years: Character Building. From a school with just a handful of students, it is now a university that produces diverse students across different disciplines in the arts, sciences and technology.

Let us reminisce on what was Perpetual back then in the eyes of the early graduates and how the institution honed them as nation-builders.

Eleonor Babes Santos, General Nursing, 1978

Babes Santos crossed paths with the university when her friends told her about a new school in Las Piñas that was opening its doors for aspiring nurses. Having to live within the school's premises as a requirement for her course, she saw Perpetual in its beginnings. Compared to the university, where students can quickly get water from faucets, she and her classmates used to catch water from a hand water pump (poso).

Describing her student life, she remembered it as a happy time with many unforgettable moments. One of which is the fair share of ghost stories that she even recalls up to this day. Nevertheless, she remembered most about her attachment to Perpetual and the values it had instilled in her.

“Dapat may determination ka sa buhay mo, and basta ‘yung love wag mong alisin ‘yun,” she shared.

General Rosendo Dial, BS Criminology, 1982

Currently, the University's Alumni Association president, General Dial, graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor degree of Science in Criminology. He re- called the days when he and his classmates always helped each other and how they had fun during those years.

“Maliit lang ‘yung canteen noon, and nagkikita kami sa sunken garden dun sa gitna,” he said as he shared the name of the first garden in Perpetual.

General Dial felt an immense gratitude to the University for giving him great lessons during his student days, "maganda kasi you become a good person, hindi lang sila about education, but also being God-fearing."

Amelia Sumaoang Dean, BS in Civil Engineering, 1987

From a Supreme Student Council Secretary, Amelia is now the Department of Information and Communications Technology's Regional Director for Region V. Reminiscing her days in Perpetual as a Civil Engineering student, the picture of the University back then is still vivid to her – the wooden classrooms, the remnants of chalk when writing on the blackboard, and the absence of air conditioners and television units. But what stuck with her the most was how the institution honed her social, communication, and leadership skills, especially with the guidance of Ms. Liwanag Elizares, who back then was her professor.

When asked how she would describe a Perpetualite, she shared, "Perpetualite is somebody who is committed and dedicated to whatever she is doing. Somebody who is looking after the welfare of the country as well, not only of herself and her family."

Shirley Teves Pascasio, General Nursing, 1999 Shirley graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 1999 and is now a professor at the university. Reminiscing her time at Perpetual as a student, she remembers how disciplined her teachers were, "I'm very grateful kasi with the knowledge, 'yung lahat ng mga values, 'yung pagiging ako ngayon, I owe it to them."

Now, she shows her students the value of education. Shirley is a living proof that Perpetualites are nation-builders. “Ang pinaka-bottom line is, ‘di lang tayo dapat maging helpers of God dito sa’tin, maging helpers of God din tayo sa buong mundo.

Perpetual is approaching its 50th golden anniversary, and the whole community is sure to celebrate and look back on what it has become. From a simple four-story building to an entire system of campuses that branched out to more towns and cities, it has achieved great feats. Let us hope that as Perpetualites, we can learn from the University's nation builders, who once walked the hallways of the school. By training the minds, the hearts, and the hands, we will serve to the best of our ability and be the helpers of God.