HCDC at 70: “Gifted to Give”

Despite being rocked by the economic situation brought by the challenges of the pandemic, the Holy Cross of Davao College has remained firm and staunch in living up its ideals of providing affordable quality Catholic education for all.

True to its mission, on September 14, 2021, the school marked another milestone in its history as it celebrated its 70th founding anniversary since its inception in 1951 by the Religious of the Virgin Mary Sisters (RVM) and nurtured by the PME Fathers and the Archdiocese of Davao.

Davao Archbishop and HCDC Board of Trustees Chair, Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D. led the commemoration by recognizing the role of the administrators, faculty and staff, and students in their continuous efforts in the evangelizing mission of the institution through the years.

Inspired by the quincentennial celebration of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, this year’s theme, “HCDC at 70 Gifted to Give: Renewed, Revitalized, Restructured and Ready for the Future,” is a reflection of zeal and hope as it continues to open its doors to students with palpable joy and confidence amidst these trying times.

“I am convinced that the life and mission of Holy Cross of Davao College in the past 70 years are part of this giftedness that we are celebrating today,” Abp. Valles said in his fiesta message.

Abp. Valles was also amazed by the continued support and loyalty of parents and families to trust Holy Cross of Davao College again. At present, HCDC has almost 8,000 student population in the different schools and colleges.

“There are clear signs from the Lord that he is continuing to watch over us and to bless Holy Cross of Davao College by making it truly a continuing gift to our people,” he said.

The school fiesta was highlighted by an institutional mass which was celebrated by Archbishop Valles, also the outgoing President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), in celebration and thanksgiving for all the blessings that have been showered to the HCDC community these very days.

On the same occasion, the school also recognized its education mission partners through a virtual recognition dubbed as ‘Pasalamat 2021’ whose commitment and support to the school and its students are considerably immeasurable.

Aside from the above-mentioned events, online activities were also organized to encourage students’ participation and to allow them to imbibe the spirit celebration while at home. These include ‘Crossian Jam’: A Musical Concert for a Cause, which features alumni and local talents, Virtual Job Fair, HCDC Pamilya Awards, and Crossian Fiesta Saya.