Background
The first De La Salle School in the Philippines, De La Salle College was opened on June 16, 1911 on Calle Nozaleda in Paco, Manila, at the request of the Archbishop of Manila, Jeremiah James Harty to theHistory
De La Salle–Santiago Zobel School, a member-school of De La Salle Philippines, Inc., was established on March 29, 1978 after it was decided that the elementary department of De La Salle College be moved to a location that is more suitable and conducive to learning. A high school department was also formed to assure the graduates of Zobel's elementary department of placement in secondary education."Zobel @ 25." ''Young Observer''. Jun–November 2006. The school is located in Muntinlupa's Ayala Alabang Village and was made possible through a joint donation of part of the campus's eleven hectare lot donated by the Ayala Corporation and the Madrigal Family, with the rest of the lot acquired through financing provided by the Filipinas Life Assurance Company. The school's location in Southern Metro Manila also helps in achieving the government's goal of dispersing educational institutions over the Metro, as well as the goal of the Brothers in the Philippines of making their resources available to as many communities as possible. De La Salle Zobel opened in June 1978 with an initial offering of Prep to Grade Six Levels. The Grade School Department became fully operational when Grade 7 was added in June 1979 and in June 1980, the High School Department opened, initially withoutSchool emblem
The double-A dividing the bottom part of the shield was derived from the Ayala logo since the school property is part of Ayala Alabang Village developed by the Ayala Land Corporation. The bottom center bears the Christmas Nativity Star of Faith/Hope known as the Signum Fidei Star the official 350-year-old institutional, worldwide seal of the De La Salle Brothers. Below the Signum Fidei Star are the three broken chevrons of 1,000-year-old Indivisa Manent crest found on the Royal Coat of Arms of Saint La Salle's family. The 3 broken chevrons represent the 3 broken leg bones suffered by warrior chieftain Johan Salla, a great heroic ancestor of Saint La Salle, who fiercely defended to protect Christian Spain from the marauding Moorish armies a thousand years ago. The palm branch with 16 leaves at the bottom left honors the 16 De La Salle Brothers who were martyred along with several friends during the 1945 brutal Japanese occupation of the Philippines. The bottom right section of the shield bears the small, iconographic symbol of St. James, the seashell, found in Santiago de Compostela, Cathedral of the Primate of Spain. Santiago is the patron saint of the late Santiago Zobel after whom the school was named. The three small stars at the corners of this section were taken from the official Coat of Arms of the Republic of the Philippines. The upper section of the shield contains the Holy Cross of Jesus with rays, as a reminder that the primary purpose of the Lasallian educational mission is to lead every student to Christ and to spread the Good News of God's Kingdom. Above the shield is a dove spreading its wings, symbolizing peace and representing the Holy Spirit who sends His light to renew the face of the earth. The color Green gives honor to the first Irish-American Christian Brothers of pre-war De La Salle and White represents the Philippines being known as the Pearl of the Orient it also means peace and purity of faith and morals; Green is also for hope and confidence; and Gold is love.Departments
The management of Zobel is divided into seven departments, all reporting directly to the President, Br. Bernard Oca FSC. These are the High School Department, the Grade School Department, the Academic Services Department, the Administrative Services Department, the Lasallian Formation and Mission Department, the Human Resource Management and Development Department, the Finance Department, and the Br. Rafael Donato FSC Night High School (BRafeNHS) Department. The Quality Assurance and Management Office directly under the President is a sub-group composed of the Internal Auditor, the Compliance Officer, the Project Management Officer, and the Strategic Planning Officer. The school's Technological and Vocational School is a sub-group under the BRafeNHS Principal.Academics
Two main departments make up the academic structure of Zobel, the Grade School and High School Departments. The Grade School curriculum is structured into six learning areas:Performing arts
With the thrust of supporting the holistic development of students, Zobel further developed the intellect and artistry of its students with the establishment of the Angelo King Center for the Performing Arts in 2000, which is housed in the school's Center for the Performing Arts Building.De La Salle–Santiago Zobel School. (2000). ''Primer to the Angelo King Center for the Performing Arts''. Muntinlupa: DLSZ Printing Office. Since its establishment, the Center has organized yearly ''Performing Arts Festivals'' which have showcased the different performing arts groups of the school. These groups include the DLSZ Symphony Orchestra, the DLSZ Strings, the DLSZ Band, the DLSZ Chorale, the Rondalla Ensemble and in addition, the Center continues to hold yearly productions of hit musicals, a tradition started during the early years of Zobel. It has also hosted a number of performing groups from De La Salle University such as theAthletics
Zobel's varsity team, the De La Salle Junior Archers, is De La Salle University-Manila's junior representative to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines while its women's team, the Lady Junior Archers, is De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's representative to theLearning Resource Center
The school currently has 3 Learning Resource Centers, one each for the Prep Level, the Grade School Department, and the High School Department, that provide both conventional print and non-print materials to the school community. In addition to these Centers, the school also maintains an Archives unit that is also under Learning Resource Center; the Archives is located at the St. La Salle Building. The Jacobo Santiago Zobel Memorial Library is the school's primary library and serves the High School Department. The library has two main sections, print and non-print. In 2005, it served 1,128 students, 89 faculty members, 13 administrators, and 82 co-academic personnel.De La Salle–Santiago Zobel Libraries. (2006). ''LRC Tidbits''. Muntinlupa: DLSZ Printing Office. The Antonio Montemayor Anievas Library serves the Grade School Department and is located just across the Santiago Zobel Memorial Library. It is the second biggest library on campus and has organized various programs, which serve to inculcate the love of reading for the Grade School students such as the Book Lovers and Catch Them Read Programs.Division 1 Library
The Division 1 Library serves the Prep levels as well as Grades 1 through 3 of the school. It is located in the St. Br. Miguel Hall and is the newest library on campus. This library was first housed at the Prep Building, which has since been demolished and replaced by the Br. V. Felix Masson and Br. Miguel Halls.Adult Night High School (BRAFENHS)
The Adult Night High School was opened as a form of outreach to the underprivileged who would want to finish their high school education. It was established during School Year 1997–1998 during the term of Dr. Judith Aldaba. Classes were first held at the Putatan Elementary School and were composed of 69 students in two freshman classes with ages ranging from 14 to 41. Classes were relocated to the Alabang Elementary School during the following school year. In 1999, classes were held at the main campus of De La Salle Zobel.Campus
The campus is situated on an irregularly shaped lot located at the heart of the Ayala Alabang Village. The campus's master plan was designed by the firm of architect Francisco Mañosa. In the master plan, the main objective was the creation of a unified learning environment, with the school grounds having a countryside atmosphere. In this view, alterations to the natural elements of the lot were kept at a minimum. When the school opened in 1978, there was only one building available for use, the St. La Salle Building, then called the "Main Building". At present, the campus is composed of a number of structures which have been necessitated by the burgeoning school population. The following major buildings are found on campus:Saint La Salle Building
The first building on the campus, it houses the Sixth to Second Year High School classrooms. The basement level, which was formerly a canteen-cum-multi-purpose hall was turned into the school's ''Learning Resource Center'' in 1992. It is composed of two libraries: theSaint Brother Mutien-Marie Building
In 2005, the Administration Building or the St. Brother Mutien-Marie Building, underwent a total renovation. It was one of the earliest building on campus and now houses the Finance Development Office, Registrar and Admissions office, and the Instructional and Performance Assessment Office. It also houses the president's office, grade school and high school principal's office, the Don Enrique Zobel Board Room, Quality Assurance and Management Office and the Human Resources Management and Development Department office. The building is named after St. Brother Mutien-Marie Wiaux, a De La Salle Christian Brother who taught St. Bertuin's School in Malonne, Belgium where he taught for fifty-eight years. He was canonized in 1989 by Pope John Paul II.Saint Joseph's Building
TheCadlum Hall and St. Flavius Hall
In the Edgardo Cadlum Hall, there is the Cafeteria extension on the first floor and on the second floor, the Gym 2 basketball court. Built at the site of the former stand-alone Gym 2, the Cadlum Hall was built to house a multi-purpose hall and the school bookstore at the ground floor, with the Gym 2 being converted to a dedicated basketball court at the second floor. The hall serves as the canteens extension. It also houses classrooms for Remedial English. The building is named after the longest-serving Principal of Zobel, Edgardo S. Cadlum (1932–2010). The St. Flavius Hall houses the school's main canteen was built in 1991 with the initial food service management being handled by '' The Aristocrat'' Restaurant ofBr. Felix Masson Hall and St. Brother Miguel Halls
The Brother V. Felix Masson FSC Hall is named after one of the longest-serving Christian Brothers in the Philippines and, after the recent deaths of Br. Fidelis Leddy FSC(1918–2003) and Br. J. Benedict FSC(1927–2004), the only living American Christian Brother who has been serving in the Philippines for more than fifty years. This building was built in 1997. The classrooms for Grade 2A to 2I, 3A to 3B, GEM/Special Filipino Room, and an outdoor playground are located on the first floor. On the second floor are the classrooms for Grade 3C to 3I, 4A to 4G classrooms and the ISRS Extension Office. In the Br. Felix Masson annex building, the Music Room is located on the first floor, the classrooms for Grade 4H to 4I are on the second floor, and on the third floor are the Science Laboratory and Computer Technology classroom. The newly built St. Brother Miguel Hall, named after St. Br. Miguel Febres Cordero Muñoz FSC, houses the Br. Miguel Febres building basement, where the Art Room, Music Room, Cafeteria annex, Psychometrician/MSSN Coordinator's Office and the Staff Union Office are located. On the first floor is an outdoor playground, the Multipurpose Hall, Medical Clinic Annex, Classrooms for Grades 1A to 1H and the interdisciplinary Botanical Garden. On the second floor is the Gym 5, Learning Resource Center Grades 1 to 4 Student Counselling Rooms, office of Grade School Student Formation Officer, office of the Subject Coordinators, and the office of the Upper Grades Vice Principal for Operations.Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall (previously known as the Vaugirard)
The Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall, previously known as The Vaugirard, is a gated compound in the school. The Br. Andrew Gonzales Hall houses, on the ground floor, an outdoor playground, the Pre-K to Kinder classrooms, Faculty Room and Meeting Room. On the second floor is the Learning Resource Center, Grade 4 Robotics Rooms and the Office of the Vice Principal for Operations for Lower Grades.Angelo King Center for the Performing Arts and Sylvia P. Lina Theatre
In 1996, the school began construction on a building which would house its proposed Center for the Performing Arts. In 2000, this building was completed and would be named after DLSU alumnus Angelo King, who had contributed a significant amount to help finish its construction. The Angelo King Center has a Php150 million theater equipped with state-of-the-art lights and sound facilities, which were imported form Germany. The theater has a seating capacity of 1,052 with balcony and orchestra sections, a two-level lobby, an orchestra pit, four air-conditioned dressing rooms, costume cabinets, a docking area, sixteen fly battens, two motorized curtain systems (vertical and horizontal), and comfort rooms.Br. Ceci Hojilla FSC Center for Lasallian Formation
The Br. Ceci Hojilla FSC Center for Lasallian Formation or CLF (near Gate 1) houses the Our Lady of the Star Chapel and below it is the CLF Hall, two (2) Recollection Rooms, and the Family Life Wellness Institute (FLWI). The CLF also houses the Campus Ministry Office and the Social Action Office with the Parmenie Retreat Facility which has the male dormitory on the second floor and female dormitory on the third floor. Each dormitory can accommodate 40 overnight guests.Our Lady of the Star Chapel
The Our Lady of the Star Chapel on the second floor of the Br. Ceci Hojilla FSC Center for Lasallian Formation has its own choir loft and can accommodate around 460 individuals.Athletic facilities
There are four gymnasiums located around the campus. Gym 1, the second building on campus and the first gymnasium constructed, is also the largest. Gym 1 is currently under renovation since May 2008 and is to be made into a Sports Pavilion which will house state-of-the-art athletic facilities. Besides it being used for most of the Physical Education classes, it is also used for institutional gatherings such as Eucharistic celebrations. It also houses the offices of the Physical Education Department as well as a fully equipped weight training room. The campus is also home to an Olympic-size swimming pool which was constructed in the mid-1990s. In 2005, the pool house was rebuilt and is now a multi-level building with locker & shower rooms at the ground floor and spectator-stands at the upper level. Right beside the swimming pool are the tennis courts, one of the oldest facilities located on campus. The school also has a full-sized football field, which is located behind the Mutien-Marie Building, as well as baseball and softball fields, which are located by The Vaugirard. Because of these facilities, Zobel has been host to many athletic competitions, especiallySantiago Zobel
Jacobo Santiago "Santi" Zobel, after whom the school is named, was the eldest son of De La Salle Alumnus and Benefactor- Don Enrique Zobel. Enrique Zobel was then the President of the Ayala Corporation when De La Salle-Zobel was established. Santiago was born on August 15, 1954 and died of pneumonia on September 7, 1965 at the age of 11.Notable alumni
* Nathan Azarcon * Juno Sauler *References and notes
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