Don Zacarias Sahagun and Don Melecio Fule founded the Laguna Academy in 1923 to provide secondary schooling to the people of San Pablo City and its neighboring towns.

            The Laguna Academy, considered the largest provincial private secondary institution in Luzon up to the outbreak of the recent war, was established as a solution to one of the pressing educational problems of the times. In 1923, Don Zacarias Sahagun, seeing the increasing number of poor but ambitious youth of the then town of San Pablo and its vicinities, who could not pursue secondary education in the provincial public high school for economic reasons, was moved to action. He conferred with his dear friend, the late Don Melecio Fule, who had caught up the vision of service in Don Zacaria’s plan. Thus these two worthy sons of San Pablo pooled together their efforts and resources and started pioneering work in the education frontiers.

            Any project in its initial stage is beset with difficulties and the Laguna Academy had not been an exception. Among the problems it had successfully overcome were the existing prejudice against private schools in general; the then aristocratic of some of the young people who considered it a mark of distinction and honor to be able to study in Manila and in the provincial capitals; the economic crisis of the time; and the establishment later by another corporation of a similar institution which inevitably brought about a shade of competition.

            The successful growth of the Laguna Academy which began with (16) students and reaches an enrollment of one thousand five hundred (1,500) in 1941, might be attributed to its efficient administration, high quality teaching force, adequate library and laboratory facilities and to its well-rounded and balanced program of academic and extracurricular activities.

            Upon the death of the first two presidents of the Board of Trustees and co-founders of the institution, the late wealthy and helpful Don Melecio Fule and late Don Zacarias Sahagun, one of the ablest Municipal presidents of San Pablo who was greatly responsible for the opening of a town government hospital, a young blood and one of the academy’s alumni in the person of Dr. Nicasio B. Sahagun, physician and educator, took the reigns of the school administration in 1938. The new president of the Board of Trustees, with the freshness, vigor and wholesome enthusiasm of youth, saw greater responsibilities and new perspectives of endeavor for the school. He and Mr. Alfredo Evangelista, treasurer of the institution with the moral and material support of the other members of the Board, exerted much effort in the establishment of a Junior Normal College which brought opportunities for higher education nearer the door of every home in San Pablo and the neighboring provinces. The war of 1941, however, forced the closing of the Laguna Academy and it remained closed during all the years of Japanese occupation.

            With the liberation of the City of San Pablo in 1945, the Academy resumed its educational mission to serve once more the need of the community. Amidst tremendous handicap, for the institution had all its equipment and facilities totally damaged and its building greatly destroyed during the war, the Board of Trustees with courageous hope reopened the institution. The commendable years of fruitful service which the Laguna Academy has seen should be source of justifiable pride and joy to all those who have made sacrifices for the institution.

            Today, it offers Kindergarten, elementary, science high school, college, and graduate school courses which, together, make up a student population of several thousands. Its new name Laguna College is a household word today. In 1996, it was granted Accreditation Status (Level II) for its courses in AB, Education and Commerce by the   PACU-COA(Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities - Commission on Accreditation). IT was re-accredited Level II in 1999.

The Laguna Academy
The first building established by the institution in 1923.

The Laguna College Logo

Faculty Members
The first batch of the teaching arm of the Laguna Academy

The Laguna Academy Faculty Members pays respect to City Mayor Potentiano Malvar at the Capitol - January 11, 1941

The New Laguna College Building

Faculty Members
The present teaching arm of the
Laguna College

The Enhanced Proud to be from
Laguna College Logo