1985

The VERITAS COLLEGE OF IROSIN is a product of the wisdom and generosity of various people with big hearts, noble heads and open hands through time. Its unique history gratefully identifies the persons and the efforts they had undertaken in order to reach the goals it aimed to achieve.

In 1983, the Honorable Roque G. Dorotan, the incumbent Mayor of Irosin then, approached the Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit to re-open the tertiary level of the College of the Holy Spirit of Irosin, which was previously closed in the early 1970’s due to lack of enrollees. Finding the idea not feasible and impractical at that time, the latter refused.  He then went to Msgr. Jesus Y. Varela, the Diocesan Bishop of Sorsogon, for advice. The good Bishop was sold to the idea but also cautioned him that starting a school would need a lot of money.

That same year, the former the Sts. Peter & Paul Technical Institute (SPPTI), (a diocesan school, now known as Aemilianum College Inc), in Sorsogon closed down and was eventually sold to the Somascan Fathers. Msgr. Eladio T. Palces, the SPPTI visionary head, was willing to manage the desired College in Irosin only if the good Mayor could raise the amount of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 150, 000.00) as starting capital. Taking the challenge as an assurance, Mayor Dorotan, with the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) headed by Msgr. Elias Pura Jr., the Parish Priest of St Michael the Archangel Parish, looked for ways and means to get the amount. They went around the town of Irosin and solicited donations from the good-hearted people for that noble purpose. They got the needed money. 

With the solicited amount plus the books and other educational materials donated by Msgr. Eladio T. Palces, the school, which was first given the name IROSIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, started to operate in 1985. The visionary Msgr. Eladio T. Palces became the first Director and was considered to be its Founder. The school made use of the campus and classrooms of the former SACRED HEART ACADEMY, the dissolved parochial school in Irosin. In its first year of operation AY 1985-1986, the College has had One Hundred (100) students.  The initial courses offered were Diploma in Agricultural Technology, Bachelor of Arts, and Secretarial Course.

1987

On July 15, 1987 the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under SEC Registration No. 142489.  This declared the school as non-stock and non-profit Catholic school with the name VERITAS COLLEGE OF IROSIN (VCI).  The original Incorporators were:

The members of original Board of Trustees as approved were:

• Msgr. Eladio T. Palces
• Msgr. Elias T. Pura Jr.
• Mayor Roque G. Dorotan
• Mr. Adolfo Cielo
• Mr. Ramon Dreu
• Mr. Arcadio Glipo
• Mr. Roger Perez

Drought and two super typhoons wrought much damage to agricultural products in Irosin in 1987–1988.  The school building was also heavily damaged. Veritas College of Irosin had to operate in a condition much worse than when it had started. Repairs of the gravely dilapidated and damaged old classrooms had to be done with much support from the Holy Trinity Covenant Community (HTCC). The enrolment dwindled from One Hundred Fifty One (151) to ninety five (95) although the tuition fee then was only Twenty Five pesos (Php 25.00) per unit. But VCI survived.

1994

On July 25, 1994, Rev. Fr. Elias F. Escanilla succeeded Msgr. Palces. He was designated as the second College Director. Under his administration the school compound has been fenced. Additional courses were offered. The Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) and Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSE) were opened in 1996–1997, and were officially recognized by CHED in February 29, 2000.  The enrolment rose to Three Hundred One (301).  The Administration hired more qualified and experienced teachers to work as full-time and part-time instructors.  Additional buildings and facilities were provided as the Technical-Vocational courses (Auto Servicing NCII was recognized by TESDA on July 3, 2002 and Electrical Technology Program on August 7, 2002), then subsequently the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (officially recognized on July 31, 2004), Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (also on July 31, 2004), and the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (officially recognized on July 1, 2005) were offered. The latest course Bachelor of Science in Criminology was afterward opened in AY 2006 (and got government official recognition in 2010).  With these new course offerings there was a tremendous increase in enrolment reaching the peak of 575 students. Additional books, computers, typewriters, mechanical tools, gadgets and other facilities were procured.

To set a new direction for VCI, the Strategic Assessment and Planning Workshop was done by the VCI employees and some invited stakeholders in El Retiro, Cabid-an, Sorsogon City during the summer vacation on April 28-30, 2008. On March 21, 2009 after 15 years of being the Director, Rev. Fr. Elias F. Escanilla was replaced by Rev. Fr. Cecil Datar, who was designated as OIC VCI Director.  Fr. Datar, in so short a time, tried to professionalize the systems, especially in the finance office.

2009

During Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting held at the Home for the Clergy on the May 12, 2009 in Sorsogon City, Most Rev. Arturo M. Bastes, the Diocesan Bishop and VCI-BOT Chairman, announced the incoming President of VCI, in the person of Rev. Fr. Odine L. Areola.  The latter was formally elected as the first President and appointed as Chief Executive Officer of VCI by the newly reorganized Board of Trustees and General Assembly of Veritas College of Irosin on June 2, 2009. 

To set a new direction for VCI, the Strategic Assessment and Planning Workshop was done by the VCI employees and some invited stakeholders in El Retiro, Cabid-an, Sorsogon City during the summer vacation on April 28-30, 2008. On March 21, 2009 after 15 years of being the Director, Rev. Fr. Elias F. Escanilla was replaced by Rev. Fr. Cecil Datar, who was designated as OIC VCI Director.  Fr. Datar, in so short a time, tried to professionalize the systems, especially in the finance office.

The following constituted the officers of the newly reorganized Board of Trustees (BOT).

• Most Rev. Arturo M. Bastes, DD – BOT Chairperson
• Msgr. Reynaldo Mabute – Vice Chair
• Rev. Fr. Nestor Benavidez – Treasurer
• Mrs. Florencia C. Dorotan – Internal Auditor
• Mrs. Asteria B. Elegado – Corporate Secretary

Having foreseen the rising trend in the enrolment starting AY 2009-2010 onwards, Fr. Areola proposed the construction of the 3-storey VCI main building to the BOT during the 2^nd regular BOT meeting of that school year. Due to lack of enough details and comprehensive plan, it was temporarily shelved. However, the proposal was unanimously approved by the BOT when it was reiterated during its 3^rd regular meeting. As a highlight to the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Veritas College of Irosin, the ground breaking ceremony was held on the 18^th day of February 2010, in time for the birthday of the Founder, Msgr. Eladio T. Palces, in whose honor the proposed main building was dedicated. Yet the actual construction was only started in April 2011 due to lack of funds. It was a leap of faith since the  funding was to be taken mainly from the very limited the allocation coming from the VCI general fund. To augment this fund, fund raising activities, like soliciting from generous friends, staging a concert in honor of the Founder and the annual raffle draws, were done by Administration, Employees and students of VCI. While doing this big project, additional school facilities and equipment were procured due to the ever-growing student population.  After negotiating with the SAFSCO, another claimant of the lot of the dissolved Educational Forum, VCI acquired legally the 2.9 hectares Demo Farm in Gulang-Gulang, Irosin.

In the AY 2012–2013 there was a tremendous increase in enrolment, surpassing the One Thousand mark with 1,018 students in the first semester, and surprisingly the number was even higher in the second semester with 1,042 students. The consistent good performance of VCI graduates in the Board and Civil Service Career Examinations has encouraged parents from Irosin and neighboring towns to entrust their children’s college education to VCI.

2015

In July 2015, Veritas College of Irosin marked a significant milestone with the construction of the Msgr. Palces Building, the first phase of the VCI buildings that Fr. Odine Areola has planned, coinciding with the celebration of its Pearl Jubilee — its 30th Anniversary, commemorating three decades of Catholic education and service to the youth of Irosin and the Province of Sorsogon. The occasion was a moment of gratitude for the growth and progress the institution had achieved since its humble beginnings in 1985. Months later, however, in December of the same year, Typhoon Nona caused considerable damage to the VCI campus, including structural damage to several buildings, and cut off electrical supply to the institution for an extended period. Repairs were undertaken and operations were gradually restored through the collective effort of the administration, employees, and the broader VCI community. The experience reinforced the administration’s resolve to incorporate more resilient designs into future construction projects.

In anticipation of the national implementation of the Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum under Republic Act 10533, commonly known as the K to 12 Law, Veritas College of Irosin formally opened its Senior High School (SHS) Program in Academic Year 2016–2017. The program offered all four academic strands — Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM); Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS); Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); and General Academic Strand (GAS) — as well as several Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) tracks, namely Computer Systems Servicing, Automotive Servicing, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, and Organic Agriculture. The opening of the Senior High School program significantly broadened the institution’s reach, welcoming learners at the secondary level alongside its existing college programs.

To support the technical and agricultural programs of both the SHS and the college, the administration undertook the development of the VCI Demo Farm in Gulang-Gulang, Irosin, a property VCI had legally acquired in an earlier period. Facilities constructed on the property included the Automotive Servicing and Electrical Installation and Maintenance laboratories, the Computer Systems Servicing laboratory, and multiple Agriculture laboratories, providing students with hands-on training appropriate to their fields of study. Back in the main campus, construction continued in phases as resources allowed. The Divine Mercy Building and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Building were completed in succession, adding significant classroom and laboratory space to the growing campus. A three-storey Faculty Building was likewise constructed, providing dedicated office and workspace for the institution’s expanding academic staff. These projects were made possible through the combined efforts of the administration, employees, students, alumni, and benefactors, sustained in large part by the annual raffle draws, concerts, and solicitation drives that had become a defining tradition of the VCI community.

The national implementation of the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) in 2018, which extended financial assistance to students from low-income families enrolled in private higher education institutions, contributed significantly to further growth in enrollment. Combined enrollment across the Senior High School and college levels grew steadily through these years, eventually surpassing three thousand students, drawing from Irosin and the surrounding municipalities of the province. The institution’s reputation for strong performance in the Licensure Examination for Teachers, Criminologists, Agriculturists, and the Civil Service Career Examinations continued to draw families from across Sorsogon to VCI.

VCI’s participation in academic, athletic, and cultural competitions likewise expanded during this period. The institution maintained a consistent and distinguished presence in the Provincial PRISAA, the Inter Criminology Olympics, and the Bikol Association of Catholic Schools (BACS) Meet, with Veritan athletes and delegates representing the institution with notable results in various years. The institution also actively contributed to the broader Catholic educational community of the region. Fr. Areola served in leadership capacities within the Bikol Association of Catholic Schools (BACS), holding the positions of President and Treasurer of the organization. Through this involvement, VCI, together with other Catholic educational institutions in Sorsogon, helped host significant BACS events including the BACS Youth Camp, the BACS Meet, and the BACS Regional Assembly. The institution likewise maintained productive affiliations with the Bikol Foundation for Higher Education and other regional and ecclesiastical partners, strengthening VCI’s place within the wider educational community of the Bicol Region.

In late 2019, Typhoon Tisoy again caused considerable damage to the campus and the Demo Farm in Gulang-Gulang. As had been the case with previous calamities, the administration and the VCI community undertook repairs and restored operations, and academic continuity was maintained.

2020

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 presented the most significant disruption to institutional operations in VCI’s history. With quarantine restrictions suspending face-to-face classes nationwide, the administration adopted a combination of printed module distribution and online learning to ensure the continuity of education. Printed modules were prepared by faculty and distributed to students every two weeks through designated drop-off centers in various barangays and neighboring areas, with volunteer students assisting in the facilitation of distribution. This approach allowed the institution to maintain the delivery of instruction throughout the period of restrictions. The reduction in operational expenses during the pandemic years also contributed positively to the institution’s financial standing and long-term planning.

In 2024, the institution transitioned its long-standing Bachelor of Agricultural Technology program to the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, in alignment with current Commission on Higher Education standards and in recognition of the evolving needs of students pursuing careers in the agricultural sciences.

The last of the construction phases envisioned for the main campus was realized with the blessing of the Sacred Heart Building and Chapel in 2025, completed in time for the celebration of VCI’s Ruby Jubilee — its 40th Anniversary. The name carried a meaningful resonance with the institution’s origins, recalling the Sacred Heart Academy whose campus had sheltered the newly founded Irosin Community College in 1985. From those borrowed classrooms, Veritas College of Irosin had grown, over four decades, into an institution with a campus substantially built from the ground up — a testament to the faith, sacrifice, and generosity of the many individuals and communities who had accompanied it along the way.

After almost seventeen years of service as President and Chief Executive Officer, Rev. Fr. Odine L. Areola concluded his term in 2026, and the Board of Trustees designated Rev. Fr. Gerico T. Pangilinan as the new OIC President of Veritas College of Irosin. The current Board of Trustees, the new College President, and the faculty and staff look forward to continuing the work that has been built upon over four decades — producing graduates equipped with the values, knowledge, and skills that the present times demand, and remaining true to the mission for which Veritas College of Irosin was founded: to serve the people of God, especially the youth of Irosin and the neighboring towns of the Province of Sorsogon.