About us

history

Our Story

History of Hua Siong

Hua Siong College of Iloilo (formerly Iloilo Central Commercial High School or ICCHS) is an educational institution located on Iznart Street, Iloilo City,Philippines. It was founded by the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo.

1912 marked the birth of Hua Siong – the second oldest Filipino Chinese School in the Philippines .

Conceived and installed by the Iloilo Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the school was known as Iloilo Chinese Vocational School and was located at Yu Tiak Ha Building at Aldeguer Street. In a short span of time, a piece of land opposite the street was acquired and a school built upon it, called Tian Po Hall. A year later, the school was renamed Iloilo Chinese Primary Commercial School with 60 students .

In 1918 the Chamber of Commerce acquired a piece of land along Iznart Street.

In 1927 the school was called Primary Commercial School and later became Iloilo Chinese Commercial High School .

In 1932 more rooms were opened, more instructional materials and equipment were provided, new curricula in the Elementary and High School were offered, and a Kindergarten Course was introduced.

the war

Among those who stood against the Japanese were the school teachers and students, who formed anti-Japanese Patriotic Groups . The group stirred the valor of the local Chinese through drama performances. Being the nucleus of the Anti-Japanese Forum, constituted principally by the local Chinese, school teachers frequently organized discussions on current events.

 When Japanese aggressors reached Iloilo, some of the Anti-Japanese organizers, including members of the Board of Trustees, ended up in jail . Their remains were buried in the Chinese Cemetery.

Re-opening

The war left the school in ruins. The Board of Trustees prepared themselves to continue operations. Through funds from friends, residing in Gigante Island, they were able to finance the new set-up .

 Meanwhile, notwithstanding the uncomfortable premises built from nipa huts, classes reopened in November 1949. Years later, a new school building was inaugurated which bore the name “Yu Guang Lou” (Fisherman Hall), after the Gigante fishermen and friends who helped in building the school .

Development

In 1950, “Yi Bin Lou” (Iloilo Shore Hall) was established and the following year, “Min Jiang Lou” (Manila River Hall) was inaugurated. The halls were named after contributors regions. In December 1952, many innocent Chinese teachers were detained without reason and even deported. By 1955, after courses in Chinese Senior High School reintroduced, HSCI became a full-pledged high school in 1958 where the first Senior High School and second Batch of English Secondary students graduated simultaneously.

The fire

On 7 February 1966, a fire struck Iloilo City – the biggest fire Iloilo had ever experienced. Almost one-third of the commercial districts of the city were burned to the ground. HSCI was burnt down. In order not to distort the study of the 900 students, the Board of Trustees decided on the resumption of classes a few days after the fire.

So the school was transferred to a rented building in Guanco Street. The Board of Trustees, the Iloilo Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and the school joined hands to form a “School Fund Drive Committee”. The Overseas Chinese Daily Publications Corporation quartered in Manila offered to help in the Fund Drive Campaign.

 The construction of the first school building started in July 1967, was completed in May 1968, and put into use in June of the same year.

Hua Siong College of Iloilo, INC

The school announced the opening of college business courses during the 2013 Chinese New Year Festival of Iloilo. The school was renamed Hua Siong College of Iloilo, Inc. (HSCI).

Ledesco branch

The Ledesco Branch, which opened its doors to students living on the outskirts of the city, in 1992, has a complete pre-Elementary and Elementary courses, (Grades 1 to 6) and First Year to Fourth Year High School classes. The HSCI extension has a children’s playground and a mini-forest.

Our Mission & Vision

Vision

An academic institution that blends the best of Chinese and Filipino cultures for the total development of the individual in service to the country and  global community .

Mission

To educate young men and women to achieve excellence for the improvement of society and environment .

Our Objective

The Hua Siong College of Iloilo, conscious of her pivotal role as an institution of learning in national development and stability, is reaffirming her objectives along Philippine education’s aims on physical fitness, moral uprightness, academic excellence and vocational efficiency:

 

  • Inculcate the love for the Filipino culture, people and traditions;
  • Help facilitate the eventual integration of the Chinese way of life into the mainstream of Philippine Society;
  • Impress and nurture in the students the ideals of democracy, equality, fair play, and sense of social justice;
  • Imbue the school’s guiding principles of Diligence, Sincerity, Loyalty and Courage; Nurture self-discipline and civic consciousness among the students;
  • Foster appreciation and interest of the arts, letters and the sciences; and
  • Cultivate and uphold the tradition of excellence in all fields of endeavor in and outside the country.
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