Central Philippine University

Central Philippine University (also known as Central or CPU) is a private Protestant research university in Iloilo City, Philippines. Established in 1905 through a grant from the American industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, as the Jaro Industrial School and Bible School under the supervision of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, it is "the first Baptist and the second American and Protestant-founded university in the Philippines and in Asia".

The university pioneered nursing education in the Philippines through the establishment of the Union Mission Hospital Training School for Nurses (now CPU College of Nursing) in 1906, the first nursing school in the Philippines. It also established the first student government in Southeast Asia, the CPU Republic (1906); the first government-recognized agricultural school outside of Luzon, the CPU College of Agriculture, Resources and Environmental Sciences; the first Baptist and second Protestant theological seminary in the country, the CPU College of Theology (1905), and the first Protestant and American hospital in the Philippines, the CPU–Iloilo Mission Hospital (1901).

The university has been granted full autonomy status by the Commission on Higher Education (Philippines), the same government agency that recognized its academic programs as National Centers of Excellence in Agriculture and Business Administration, and as National Centers of Development in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, and Teacher Education. It is also an ISO Certified Institution.

Central has been recognized globally, ranking among the top universities in the Philippines and worldwide by two notable international university ranking agencies, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) and Times Higher Education (THE). It has also been ranked by the World University Ranking for Innovations (WURI). In addition, AppliedHE recognized Central as one of the top private universities in Southeast Asia and Asia.

CPU's main campus is a Registered Cultural Property by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and a Marked Historical Site by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. The Hinilawod Epic Chant Recordings, housed at the university's Henry Luce III Library, has been inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

At present, the university is consist of eighteen schools and colleges offering academic programs from basic education up to baccalaureate and graduate studies. In tertiary education level, it offers courses in Agriculture and Environmental Sciencess, Accounting and Business Administration, Biology and Chemistry, Computer Studies, Engineering, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Library Science, Mass Communication, Medical Laboratory Science, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Political Science, Public Administration, Psychology, Teacher Education, and Theology.

History

Incorporation and founding

In the early 20th century when the Philippines was opened to the American Protestant missionaries after the Philippines was ceded by Spain to the United States through the 1898 Treaty of Paris after the Spanish–American War, a comity agreement by the Protestant American churches was established that the Philippine islands will be divided into mission territories, thus the Western Visayan region went to the jurisdiction of the Baptists.

The origins of Central Philippine University dates back in 1901 when the American Northern Baptists, through its foreign mission board, the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, laid a plan to establish mission schools following the comity agreement of the division of the islands for the evangelical mission and through a benevolent grant given by John D. Rockefeller, an American industrialist and philanthropist. Rockefeller himself was a devoted Northern Baptist with numerous church related philanthropy works throughout his life, that is why he gave a grant to the Northern Baptists that resulted in the establishment of Central.

On the other hand, in 1901 also, four years before the founding of Central in 1905, alongside when the American Baptists came in Iloilo, the Presbyterians came and they established the Union Mission Hospital (Sabine Haines Memorial Union Mission Hospital) (which Central, since its founding until this day is closely associated with as its university hospital) under the Presbyterian Church in the United States by Joseph Andrew Hall, it is the first Protestant and American hospital in the Philippines. Since the hospital's founding, Presbyterians worked closely with the Baptists for the operation of the hospital. Following the years since its founding, in 1925, its administration was eventually transferred to the Baptists who also bought the land in the City of Jaro (now part and a district of Iloilo City) where the hospital now stands. The hospital was later renamed to Iloilo Mission Hospital in 1932. The hospital predates the schools founding by four years. It also serves since then as the hospital of Central. The hospital pioneered the Nursing education in the Philippines when it established the Union Mission Hospital Training School for Nurses (the present Central Philippine University College of Nursing) in 1906. The school also produced the first graduate nurses in the country.

Then in 1903, there will be two schools that will be established by the mission: an industrial school for boys and a Bible school to train pastors and other Christian workers was incorporated. Later, it was voted on December 2, 1904, to finally establish the two schools. The task to found both schools was given to William O. Valentine, an American missionary, who became the first principal and president with the help of the other co-founders. Valentine was in the service of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, where he first ministered as a missionary in Burma, first in Rangoon, then in Mandalay, where he became the principal of the Baptist Mission High School for Boys in 1895. The new mission was given to him by the mission society in 1903. During his eighth year in Burma he suffered severe sunstroke and returned to America for treatment. There he met his future wife, nurse Ina Jane Van Allen. Valentine and Van Allen were married in 1903 and the couple left for his new appointment in Iloilo in the Philippines.

Campus

Central has an overall total combined land area of 195.13 hectares (482.17 acres), which is composed of the main campus (24 hectares), CPU Hopevale Agricultural Extension Land (95.8 hectares), CPU Zarraga Farm and Research Campus (19.3 hectares), CPU Leon Experimental Farm and Research Campus (7 hectares), CPU Centennial Village (2.9 hectares), the CPU–Iloilo Mission Hospital (3 hectares), CPU-FA (Faculty Association) Heritage Ville Subdivision (4.7) San Rafael Land (24 hectares), and Guimaras Land (14 hectares), and CPU Fortress College in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental (0.43 hectares).

The CPU's main campus sits on 24 hectares (59.30 acres) of land in Jaro, the largest district of Iloilo City, a city known for Spanish influence. It is set between the Tigum River and Dungon Creek and away from the city center.

The main campus's land was bought by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society through a grant of the American industrialist and philanthropist, John D. Rockefeller. More than thirty structures were built on what was originally swamp land. It is surrounded by different barrios and is dotted by tree species such as palm and acacia trees.

Some of the structures on the main campus which were built during the early American colonial period, possess designs influenced by colonizers from the United States. The main campus which follows a university campus plan modeled after the universities in the United States and in Europe, has a wide and big green open spaces or yards. A sample of which is the 'Big Field, which is bounded on both sides with heritage and modern-built edifices, a character unique to CPU that not only became a factor for the university being a haven conducive to learning, but also a place of interest for visiting tourists

Nine of the buildings on the main campus that were built in the 1900s especially during the American colonial period, were listed in the Philippine Registry of Heritage (PRH), which is also known as the “Talapamana ng Pilipinas”, under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). These buildings are the following: Franklin Hall (Bulwagang Franklin), Valentine Hall (Bulwagang Valentine), Mary Thomas Hall (Bulwagang Mary Thomas), Eugenio Lopez Memorial Hall (Bulwagang Eugenio Lopez), Roblee Science Hall (Bulwagang Pang-agham ng Roblee), University Church (Simbahan ng Pamantasan), Weston Hall (Bulwagang Weston), Stuart Hall (Bulwagang Stuart), and Johnson Hall (Bulwagang Johnson).

The campus is flanked by various gates. The second gate is the university's main entrance. It bears the university's motto, Scientia et Fides, which in English means "Science and Faith" (lit. Knowledge and Faith). Central has been designated as a Marked Historical Landmark or Site by the Philippine government cultural agency of National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and a Registered Cultural Property of the Philippines under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Central has been declared by the local government unit of Iloilo City as Tourist site and has been recommended in the Western Visayas region as a place of interest, attraction, and landmark to visit by travel site Trip Advisor. Central has been also hailed as the second of all the 18 beautiful college campuses in the Philippines by American internet media company BuzzFeed.

Administration

The Central Philippine University is governed by a corporation under a non-stock and non-profit entity as Central Philippine University, Corporation. The university is administered by a Board of Trustees with members representing the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.

CPU–Iloilo Mission Hospital, the university's hospital, is also represented automatically in the university's corporation by its hospital director. Historically Protestant and maintaining an affiliation with the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches and fraternal ties with the American Baptist Churches USA, Central is independent in governance and academically non-sectarian, imposing no religious requirement on the admission of students.

The CPU Board of Trustees' structure and the corporation is headed by a chairman and vice-chairman alongside the university president, the vice-president for administration and finance, the vice-president for student affairs, the vice-president for academic affairs, and the vice-president for research, development, and extension. The General Secretary of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches sits as an ex-officio member. The CPU Alumni Association, the faculty, and staff are likewise represented on the board. The president of the university's student government, the CPU Republic, sits as a representative of the students.

CPU–Iloilo Mission Hospital is a separate entity from the university. Its board of trustees is independent of CPU's corporation but largely composed of personnel from the university. Former CPU president, Juanito Maca Acanto, seats as the chairman of CPU–Iloilo Mission Hospital Corporation and Board of Trustees.

The former and 17th president (and also the 4th Filipino president) of the university is Teodoro C. Robles. An alumnus of the university, he studied engineering and graduated in 1964. Dr. Teodoro C. Robles also earned his M.S. and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Electrical Engineering at Montana State University.

The board of trustees unanimously elected him on September 5, 2008, to be the new president and was confirmed by the CPU Corporation in a special meeting on September 18, 2008.

Ernest Howard B. Dagohoy currently serves as the incumbent and 18th president of Central Philippine University (CPU) and is also recognized as the 5th Filipino president of the university. An alumnus of CPU, he holds a bachelor's degree in Theology. During his college years, Dagohoy held leadership positions, including Governor of the CPU College of Theology and later as a Senator of the CPU Republic. He furthered his education, earning a Doctor of Ministry from The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth, as well as a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from the Asian Theological Seminary. Notably, he graduated with honors from the CPU Development High School Class of 1978 and held prominent roles, such as Corps Commander of the Citizens Army Training Corps of Cadets.

Rankings and reputation

Central Philippine University (CPU) has consistently been ranked as one of the Asian and global universities by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) since 2021. It was the first university from the Western Visayas region to be included in these rankings. In 2021, CPU was ranked 601, 651+ in 2022, 701–750 in 2023, and 851–900 in 2025. These rankings placed CPU in the 8th position among Philippine universities in the agency's 2022 and 2023 rankings. It is the third Visayan university to be included in these rankings, following Silliman University (CPU's sister school) and Cebu Technological University. This recognition signifies CPU's status as a world-class institution, known for its exemplary education in research, academics, diverse student and faculty populations, linkages, and designations. QS is one of the top three prestigious world university ranking agencies, along with Times Higher Education (THE) and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

In the fifth edition of the Impact Rankings by Times Higher Education, published on June 1, 2023, Central Philippine University was included and ranked in the global position of 1001+ (5th in the Philippines). The Impact Rankings by Times Higher Education is the only global performance table that evaluates universities based on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CPU submitted data for the following SDGs: SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 4 (quality education), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). CPU's rankings for each SDG are as follows: SDG 1 – 601–800, SDG 2 – 401–600, SDG 4 – 1000+, SDG 17 – 1000+.

In 2024, Central Philippine University achieved a rank of 1501+ in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. The university secured 7 global placements in various categories: 801-1000 for Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; 601-800 for Sustainable Cities and Communities; 1501+ for Quality Education; 801-1000 for Good Health and Well-Being; 601-800 for Zero Hunger; 801-1000 for No Poverty; and 1501+ for Partnership for the Goals. In 2025, the university placed 1501+ in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings with ranking in 8 categories.

In 2006, Central Philippine University ranked No. 1 in the Western Visayas region and No. 5 in the country in terms of high passing rates in various licensure examinations conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission. However, in 2007, a report by the PRC and CHED covering a five-year period (1994–1998) named CPU as the 8th top-performing school in the country based on PRC exams. CPU holds the distinction of being No. 1 in the Philippines in the number of tertiary academic programs accredited at Level III by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines. In the field of engineering, CPU's College of Engineering ranks 10th out of the top 25 engineering schools in the country. These rankings demonstrate the highest level of standards in instruction, research, and extension activities.

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