CONTENTS

01| Brief History of the Seminary

by Rev. Msgr. Jose D. Delfin, Ph.D.
03| The Crucifers

Sail 2015s Theme by Sem. Jon Raymer P. Oclarit
04| Bygone Days of Crucifers

Class Journey in the College Seminary by Sem. Kenneth Vicarl M. Lagera
07| Message

Most Rev. Pedro D. Arigo, D.D.
08| Message

Most Rev. Edgardo S. Juanich, D.D.
09| Message

Rev. Fr. Eugene S. Elivera, M.A., S.Th.D.
10| The Seminary Administration
13| Academic Non-Teaching Personnel
14| Non-Teaching Personnel
15| The Highschool Department of Seminario de San Jose

Vision and Mission
17| Highschool Departmenf Faculty and Staff
19| Grade 7: St. Francis of Assisi Class
22| Grade 7: St. Ignatius of Loyola Class
25| Grade 8: St. Ezekiel Moreno Class
29| Grade 8: St. Lorenzo Ruiz Class
33| Grade 9: St. Charles Borromeo Class
37| Grade 9: St. John Bosco Class
40| Fourth Year Highschool: St. Augustine of Hippo Class
49| Fourth Year Highschool: St. Thomas of Aquinas Class
59| The Pre-College and College Department of Seminario de San Jose
61| Vission and Mission
62| The Pre-College and College Department Faculty and Staff
64| Pre College: St. Nicholas of Tolentine Class
66| First Year College: San Pedro Calungsod Class
69| Second Year College: St. Isidore the Farmer Class
71| Third Year College: St. John Mary Vianney Class
73| The Graduates: St. John of the Cross Class
81| Graduation Song and Alma Mater Hymn
82| Acknowledgment
83| St. Joseph Mosaic

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1954

1937

First
Building

BRIEF HISTORY

OF SEMINARIO DE SAN JOSE

Taken from Light of the World, the official souvenir book of the
Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of Seminario de San Jose
(Updated Version)

E D.
S
O
r
J
e
.
Writ . MSGR h.D.
REV LFIN, P f SSJ
DE Rector o 14
-20
er
Form 997; 2006
-1
1991

Pope Leo
XIII

he papal constitution,
Quae Mari Sinico, by
Pope LeoXIII, dated September 17, 1902, exhorted
bishops around the world
to establish and develop
local churches with the active participation of the native clergy. In response to
this, Rev. Fr. Leandro B. Nieto, OAR, the
then Vicar Delegate of Msgr. Victoriano
Z. Roman, OAR, the Prefect Apostolic of
Palawan at the time, founded Seminario de
San Jose at Puerto Princesa, now a city, on
November 15, 1937. In the morning of that
day, a solemn mass of the Holy Spirit was
celebrated by Rev. Fr. Leandro B. Nieto,
OAR. He was assisted by Rev. Frs. Federico Terradillos, OAR, and Paulino Lerena,
OAR, as con-celebrants. Actual classes
were held in the afternoon of the same day.

In the Pacific region, World War
II erupted on December 7, 1941. This led
to the intermittent cancelation of classes.
Early in 1942, the seminary faculty and
students were allowed by the Japanese
forces to leave their site and transfer from
one place to another. Later, they took
abode in the house of a certain Mr. Matilla
in Tagbariri, Aborlan. They stayed in the

01

area until 1943. Then, on the later part

of the same year, because of the increasing number of skirmishes between the
guerillas and the Japanese soldiers, they
moved to Iwahig Central Sub-Colony
and stayed in one of the government
buildings thereat. Their residence in
the penal colony continued until 1946.

After 1951, the seminary limited
its offering to the Secondary Classical
Course without government authority.
The seminary obtained government recognition for its Secondary Classical Course
in two installments: the First and Second
Years on July 7, 1969; while the Third and
Fourth Years on July 6, 1971. Added to the
required DECS subjects were those peculiar to the seminary, namely: Religion,
Spanish and Latin. The seminary Pre-College Course started in school year 198586, but its more organized and systematic
operation began in school year 1991-92.
This (Pre-College) is a one-year intensive
program designed to prepare seminarians, who finished High School from nonseminary institutions, for entrance to First
Year A.B.- Philosophy. The A.B.- Philosophy course, which started with its First
Year offering in school year 1993-94, was
granted government recognition on March

4, 1996. Our first graduation from the

above course, with eight (8) graduates, was held on April 2, 1997.
The original seminary building, when it
was established on November 15, 1937, is
still existing today with some renovations
that area of the AVPP Chancery Building
where the offices of the different religious
organizations are housed (second floor),
and that which is now occupied by the Espiga Hall at the first floor. In 1956, Bishop
Gregorio I. Espiga, OAR, the then Apostolic Vicar of Palawan, finished the construction of the second seminary building with
its left side, when facing Taft St., attached
to the original seminary building. This
second building is now used as part of the
Elementary School of the Immaculate Conception Learning Center.

Moved by his passion for a seminary that is more conducive in its environment, structure, and facilities to the training and formation of seminarians, Bishop
Francisco C. San Diego, the then Apostolic Vicar of Palawan, constructed a new
seminary building at Brgy. Tiniguiban,
Puerto Princesa City. Construction of
the building began on March 26, 1992;
on July 15, 1993, it was formally blessed

during the occasion.

Seminario de San Jose has operated for seventy-five (75) years now. Arranged chronologically, the following are
the Rectors who have served the seminary
since its inception: Rev. Msgr. Leandro B.
Nieto, OAR; Rev. Fr. Jose Guerra, OAR;
Rev. Fr. Anesio Villanueva, OAR; Rev. Fr.
Philip Brookes, OAR; Rev. Fr. Anesio Villanueva, OAR; Rev. Fr. Armando Zarralegi, OAR; Rev. Fr. Ignacio Bastierra, OAR;
Rev. Fr. Chrisostomo Garnica, OAR; Rev.
Fr. Segundo Padul; Rev. Fr. (now a Msgr.)

SSJ Building after WWII

and inaugurated by Cardinal Jaime L. Sin,
Archbishop of Manila. The seminary community - comprising three departments:
High School, Pre-College, and College
- moved to the new seminary building at
Brgy. Tiniguiban on June 4, 1994, two days
before the opening of classes on June 6,
1994 for school year 1994-95. The formal
opening of classes started with a mass of
the Holy Spirit presided by Bishop Francisco C. San Diego, together with five (5)
seminary priest formators headed by their
Rector, Rev. Fr. Jose D. Delfin, Ph.D. Several guest priests con-celebrated mass

2004

(Present HS Bldg)
02

Mario A. Magbanua; Rev. Fr. Alberto B.

Grijalvo; Bishop Francisco C. San Diego;
Rev. Fr. Armando R. Limsa; Rev. Msgr.
Jose D. Delfin, Ph.D.; Rev. Fr. Carlos S.
Vila, JCL; Rev. Fr. Nito C. Bundac; Rev.
Fr. Jesusinio Panganiban, Jr., STL; Rev.
Msgr. Jose D. Delfin, Ph.D.; and Rev. Fr.
Eugene S. Elivera, SThD as concurrent.

As Seminario de San Jose continues to fulfill her mission, she finds
strength and courage from the heroism
and sacrifices of past administrators and
formators. Also, she stands squarely on
solid ground buoyed and reassured by
the realization that she does not journey
alone. She embraces the reality that Jesus, as he promised in Matt. 28:20, is her
constant companion and guide in all her
programs and undertakings. Furthermore,
she exudes with confidence that, despite
formidable challenges and trials, with the
cooperation and support of all the members of the seminary community, alumni,
benefactors and friends, she would be able
to navigate her way towards the successful administration of school years to come.

Sail 2015
Symbol

THE CRUCIFERS

St. John
of the Cross,
a Crucifer

bygone days of crucifers

by Sem. Kenneth Vicarl M. Lagera

Explaining Sail 2015s Theme

by Sem. Jon Raymer P. Oclarit, Editor-in-Chief

WHOEVER WISHES TO COME

AFTER ME MUST DENY HIMSELF, TAKE UP HIS CROSS,
AND FOLLOW ME (Mark 8:34).


When we look at the call to
take up our cross, we tend to think
of the way God asks us to accept
and embrace the sufferings and
hardships that come from living in
this world. While we have a difficult time understanding why a good
God allows his people to suffer, we
all know what suffering feels like,
and we can understand how it can
be linked to the cross. Whatever
its source, we all have situations in
our lives that we could honestly call
crosses that we have to bear. Jesus
told us to carry our crosses but at
the same time he removes our crosses through his love and compassion.
He knows all about our suffering,
and he is with us. He loves to heal us.

The acceptance to the cross
has paved way for the conception
of the title and theme the Crucifers for this years Sail, the an-

03

Crucifers

nual book of Seminario de San Jose.

This is timely as we are now celebrating the Year of the Poor because
when we accept our crosses in life,
we in turn become poor and lowly.

The term Crucifer comes
from two Latin words, crux which
means cross and fer which means
carry or bear. Hence, a crucifer
is a cross-bearer. In the liturgy, a
crucifer is the one who carries the
processional cross, that is, a crucifix
provided with a long staff or handle. As the class patron saint is St.
John of the Cross (1542-1591), the
name Crucifer has been particularly
chosen for this years annual book
in order to capture and to describe
the rich symbolism pertaining to
faithful Christians as the co-crucifers of the Lord Jesus Christ the
Great Cross Bearer in which
all our crosses derive from His.
In this context, the seminarians, on
their part, are expected to submit
themselves wholeheartedly to the
rigorous training and formation so
that they may become good shep-

herds of Gods flock in the future.

They have to deny their very selves,
take up their cross, and make
Christ the center of their lives and
aspirations as they follow Him.

This school years annual
book, the Sail Staff shows Seminario de San Jose being symbolized
by a boat. The man who is fishing represents the administration,
the fishers of men; the fish hook
is the faculty and staff in which
they are principal tools for the vocation promotion of the seminarians; the paddle is the personnel
in which they are very important
for the rowing of the seminary.
Whatever symbolisms and representaions there are, the key
figure in the image is the Cross.

Seminario de San Jose navigates through the guidance of the
Cross and she continues to carry it
behind Christ, being united with
Him. May she succeed to promote
priestly vocations for the years to
come by embracing the cross as a
sign of love and total self-giving.
May she continue to be a Crucifer,
a carrier and bearer of the Cross.

CLASS JOURNEY IN THE

COLLEGE SEMINARY

The soundless voice of a distant-near Man called them through
night and day. An invitation so rare.
Clear but dubitable. Mysterious yet
divine. With courage in fear, with
trust in uncertainty, with serenity in
confusion, eighteen young men answered yet only few finished. This is
the story of seven seminarians who
fought their first good fight of faith
in the lifelong series of battle. This
is not an account of survival; rather this is an account of grace. We
are Crucifers and this is our story.

It was the month succeeding summer, the year was 2010, the
seminary rector was Msgr. Jose D.
Delfin. Fourteen young men ranging fifteen to eighteen years old
casted away the shadows of trembling fears in their hearts and entered the three-storey old-fashioned building of Seminario de
San Jose. They were Jeffrey Abing,
Julius Anala, Marlon Cinense, Rey
Conde, Joemarie delos Santos, Kenneth Vicarl Lagera Jonjie Limsa,
Dionimer Maghari, Emmanuel
Magtulis, Joryll Montalban, Joshua
Pablico, Marino Tambal, Alvin Tejada, and Christian Paul Venturillo. They unpacked their things and
#THROWBACK:
The Pre-College class, before
the end of the school year,
together with their respective priest formators: (to the
right) Frs. Vicente Badajos;
Joseph Trayvilla, OAR;
Msgr. Jose Delfin; Ric Uy,
and; Anthony Irineo, OAR

settled in the pre-college dormitory. This will be my home for five

years, one of them might have said.
It would have been five years for all
of them if not for the sudden voluntary exit of some and if not for the
stubbornness of few who would later be granted expulsion. Homesickness could not be gotten over with
in just one night. In less than two
days, Julius already left for home.

The first seven nights were
rough and lonely. More than half of
the group were crying. It was understandable considering the hardship of being far from their own
family and being detached from the
way of life they used to have. The
teachers, knowing that this year
was crucial for the young men, took
easy on them, but not the priestformators, especially Fr. Enrico Uy,
the Prefect of Discipline, who knew
that they had to be disciplined for
the sake of integral formation. By
the end of first semester, Joshua
left. By the end of the school year,
Jonjie and Marino were sent out.
Crucifers

04

#WELCOMETOTHECLUB:

Sems. Aleksandr
Gonzales, John Carlo
Sadio & Jon Raymer
Oclarit joined the
batalion

The next year the number
of the class was down to ten. But
they were all smiles when three
graduates from the Seminary High
School Department joined them.
They were Aleksandr Gonzales,
John Carlo Sadio and Jon Raymer
Oclarit. The first year college class
was now comprised of thirteen
seminarians. There was no doubt
that everyone coped with each others individuality considering the
fact that they all come from different places and states of life. But it
was nonetheless exciting a year for
all as everyone were discovering the
potentials of the class as a group.
They were also thrilled at sitting
as college seminarians. Philosophy
and Theology were introduced to
them for the first time. But no matter how thrilling everything was, it
just could not be so with some of
them. The end of the first semester saw Aleksandr taking exit to a
civil track and John Carlo being expelled by the Prefect of Discipline,

Fr. Anthony Irineo, OAR; while the

end of the preliminary period of the
second semester saw Marlon voluntarily leaving for some valid reasons.

The class again decreased
in number. The year now was 2012,
their second year in college, the
seventy-fifth year of the founding
of the seminary. They were ten as
they stepped into this year, plus
Adrian Bonete who returned from
his regency year; they were eleven

Crucifers

#FEELINGEXCITED:
sted
The excited Crucifers who will be inve
lice
surp
soon, at that time with cassock and

#WELCOMETOTHECLUB:

Sem. Adrian
Bonete went back
to the track after
his regency period

in all. Adrian was easily accepted

in the class with the vibrancy that
made everything somehow anew.
The class had many flaws but it was
indeed growing into maturity. The

#THROWBACK:
The First Year College
Class before the end of
the school year

05

class spearheaded the marketing

of souvenir shirts and other items
during the seminarys diamond jubilee. The proceeds which summed
to a good amount went to the class
fund intended for the prospective expenses in their investiture
the following year. After Christmas break that year, Rey got serious injuries from a motorcycle accident, a reason for him to rest for
a while. They were all ten now.

The next year, 2013, was the
class third year in college. It was in
this year that the class, under the
patronage of St. John of the Cross,
was named Crucifers, through the
proposal of Raymer. Their first three
months was the most exciting for
them as they prepared themselves to
finally wear the cassock and surplice.
They planned very well for their retreat and for the investiture. But
they fell short of budget. However,
the class believed in the Latin dictum Ecclesia supplet which means
the Church provides. The members
of the General PPTA contributed a
considerable amount of money; the
College PPTA donated a generous
amount; a certain Mr. & Mrs. Mendoza lent their beach house in Bgy.
Binduyan without any charge as retreat venue; Fr. Felipe Torrecampo
provided the food allowance, transportation means and other needs
during retreat days; and Fr. Ray-

mond Camacho gave the retreat for

free. The class was just so surprised
at seeing the provident hands of
God working in those people. The
retreat was from August 7 to 10. It
could not be denied that the retreat
had without no fruit, for each of
them had purified their intentions
and had themselves spiritually prepared for their investiture. Finally
on August 15, the solemnity of the
assumption of the Holy Mother, the
ten Crucifers were invested with
cassock and surplice through the
hands of Bishop Edgardo Juanich.

de San Jose. They

knew from the very
beginning that this
will be the roughest
and most challenging year. All seven
assumed the leadership in the community: Raymer was
servant-leader
for
human
formation;
Adrian was servantleader for pastoral
formation; Alvin was
servant-leader
for

#PAMANA:
This is a seminary tradition ceremony wherein the
servant-leaders (the Crucifers) enthroned their respective offices to their third year college brothers,
who will imediately take over their responsibilities

academic formation;
Kenneth was servantleader for spiritual
formation; Jeffrey was
servant-leader
for
community formation; and Dionimer
was Lex, the highest
position in the community. Everyone had
his own unique way
of serving and leading. Everyone was
faced with the duty
#NARITOPO:
to do what was due
Finally, the Crucifers were solemnly invested with cassock and
at the expense of not
surplice
favoring any friend.
But like many others, their lead
In spite of the succeeding
ership was not without failure;
graceful events, the class was still
everyone had his own struggle in
not free from blemish. Just like the
carrying out his duties and responprevious years, the number of the
sibilities. But like many others, the
class decreased. After the second seproblems in leadership were nonemester, Christian and Joryll were extheless surmounted as everything
pelled for fair reasons but they were
still granted the privilege to finish
the academic year; Christian took
the distance education program
while Joryll took the externship program. After the school year, Emmanuel was advised to take regency. The
class was comprised now of seven.

School Year 2014-2015 the
Crucifers fourth year in college, the
fifth year in formation for the five
who underwent thepre-college program, their last year in Seminario

was lifted up to God. More than

the struggle in leadership was the
war against the self. Spiritual aridity, warfare and crisis never failed
to test them. At times it thwarted
them from being who they truly
are and who they truly should be.
Later had they known that God
was simply purifying and strengthening them like gold set into fire.

The fruit of their labor was
finally realized on March 27, 2015.
They finally donned the black toga
symbolizing the culmination of the
four to five yearlong life they had
in the seminary. It was a life of joys
and sorrows, success and failures,
ups and downs. It was a life worth
living. It was a life worth remembering. It was a life not wasted.

We are witnesses of Gods
love and mercy. We are Crucifers and we will continue to be
Crucifers, carriers of the Cross.

#FINALLY:
The Crucifers
graduated their AB
Philosophy Degree

Crucifers

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Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa

The Apostolic Vicar of Puerto Princesa

14 Taft Street, Sandoval
Puerto Princesa, Philippines

My heartfelt congratulations!
You, College and High School graduates of 2015, have now reached a moment when you reap what you have sown in your life as seminarians. Graduation day is the moment to commemorate all that had transpired in your
life - all your laughter and tears, triumphs and defeats, moments with God
and sinfulness. In this way, you come to realize that every event of your
life is an opportunity to encounter Godthat He is your co-journeyer and
He manifests His unfathomable Love by flourishing your life and your human relationships. This is indeed the moment when you can say like St
paul that, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have
kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). I believe that you achieved this feat in your
life as seminarians through your perspiration and that through your faith
in God in sustaining you during your hardships and limitations. Consequently, Graduation day is also an opportunity for you to express your
gratitude to God and to all who had been part of your seminary formation.
You will always remember the words of gratitude to the seminary every time you reminisce the beautiful memoments in your life as seminarians. In this way, you will realize the essential role played by the entire community of Seminario de San Jose. They taught, and most importantly formed you integrally in the seminary.
The formators, teachers, staff and all the members of the seminary community inculcated in your heart the
Christian values based on the Gospel message and molded you in the personhood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Nonetheless, all the good things that you have acquired in your seminary formation are a treasure that you
should not conceal under the ground. The formation team forms you, bearing in mind that after you leave
the structure of the seminary, you will preach and live a life according to the teachings of Christ. You will
be living in witnesses of the illumined faith through your charitable deeds. It is also the same exhortation of
Pope Francis in his first encyclical letter: those who have opened their hearts to Gods love, heard his voice
and received his light cannot keep this gift to themselves. Since faith is hearing and seeing, it is also handed
on as word and light (Lumen Fidei, no. 37). Seminary is indeed a seedbed, a place of a germinating seeds
once the seed had fully matured, it will be transplanted to a real plantation. You are like seeds which are
trained to be equipeed; afterwards, you will live in the real world. At that moment,you have to bear abundant
fruits in your life.

Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay

The Apostolic Vicar of Taytay

AVT Mission Center, St. Joseph the Worker Village
Taytay, Palawan, Philippines

We sincerely extend our sincerest congratulations and prayers to our

graduates who completed their academic and college seminary formation for school year 2014-2015. We thank the Lord that you are full
of life and enthusiasm! Thank the Lord too for giving you opportunity to widen your minds by exposing you to different perspectives of
looking life and discovering its meaning through studies of
different philosophical thoughts under a seminary curriculum.
It is always fitting that the broadening of the mind causes the enlargement of the heart that is able to embrace anyone and anything at hand. Such process ought to progress daily with uplifting experiences savored continually by the disciple because
of
conviction
that
his
Lord
is
an
accompanying
Emmanuel. The future Alter Christus is all the more challenged by the Master to grow daily by saying , Duc in Altum!
With your theme, All of Yourself, I hope and pray that you have been employing all that you
are and have as humans, believing that all that we are and have are gifts we should accept and
cultivate to the utmost towards life divine.
Maganda at Kasiya-siyang Buhay sa Lahat!
(Sgd.) + MOST REV. EDGARDO S. JUANICH, D.D.
Apostolic Vicar

Once again, congratulations not only to the graduates but also to the entire community of Seminario de San jose, parents and benefactors! You have done a great job, i.e, forming these young men
in the way of Christ. It is not that easy but through the aid of the Almighty you have suceeded.
(Sgd.) +MOST REV. PEDRO D. ARIGO, D.D.
Apostolic Vicar

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Message

Message

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Seminario de San Jose

The Seminary Rector

South National Highway, Tiniguiban

Puerto Princesa, Philippines

It is with joy and at the same time profound humility that we thank
our God for the journey we undertook this year of 2014-2015. Indeed, we claim nothing as our own. Everything has been grace.
It is grace that 7 of our brothers from college and 33 from high
school have graduated prosperously. We are one, together with
their family, benefactor & friends, with their hearts in proclaiming Magnificat to God after years of toil and dedication. Congratulations Graduates of 2015. Sail on! And... duc in altum.
What made the year 2014-2015 even more significant is the coincidence of celebrating in our church here in the Philippines the Year of
the Poor. Again, this grace for all of us. It is magnanimous grace to gaze
at our Lord - Jesus, the Poor. In His poverty we become rich... By His
wounds we are healed. This grace puts a challenge to us all though. As
followers of Jesus, we are challenged to take a gaze on our poor brethren. We are challenged to serve them well. To shepherd them faithfully. We make concrete our preferential option for them. The words of Pope Francis must always remind us - A poor Church for the poor.
With Mother Mary, the poor woman, be always our inspiration.
May our father and patron, St. Joseph, who is always brave and faithful be always protector.
My FATHER is a CARPENTER...
FIDES ET FORTITUDO

(Sgd.) REV. FR. EUGENE S. ELIVERA, M.A., S.Th.D.

Rector

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Message

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Vision

The High School Department of Seminario de

San Jose is a center for promotion and
nurturance of priestly vocation and integral
formation of Catholic leaders. In an
environment enlivened by Christ-centeredness,
excellence and service, it participates in
building a God-loving, just and humane society.

Mission

Inspired by this vision, it will become a dynamic

resource of priestly vocation in Palawan and a
center of excellence in secondary education.
By offering relevant, faith-centered and value
oriented-programs, it forms competent and
self-disciplined witnesses of Christs love.

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Vision and Mission

The College Department of the Seminario de San Jose envisions
an integrated formation program fit for seminarians who are
preparing to become Integrated Human Persons,
Christ-Centered Disciples, Apostolic Proclaimers and
Contemplative Pastors of the Apostolic Vicariate of
Puerto Princesa and Taytay.
In the light of its institutional philosophy and objectives and its
vision and mission, the formation program stresses spiritual
development, academic excellence and competence,
pastoral formation and involvement, social responsiveness and
Christ-like service.
Specifically, it is committed to:
1. Bring the seminarians to a greater knowledge and love of, as
well as deeper personal commitment to, Jesus Christ;
2. Intensity in the seminarians the desire to the priesthood that is
totaly committed to a servant-leadership role in the local Church;
3. Foster sufficient understanding of, and a deep concern for, the
pastoral needs of the local milieu where the seminary is located;
4. Provide seminarians with the needed academic preparation
for higher theological studies;
5. Inculcate desirable values consistent with, and required of,
candidates for the priesthood; and
6. Train seminarians toward a holistic and integrative spirituality
that is rooted in the personal relationship with Christ and reflective
of a mature outlook, concern for, and sense of commitment to
people and the Philippine society as a whole.
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