The Seng Guan Temple had a Sunday school where monks were assigned to teach the children of the parishioners. It was an ardent dream of one of the monks, Reverend Sui Khim, to lead the children to righteousness through Buddha’s teachings that came into reality in 1950. The Sunday school became a regular school in response to the parents’ clamour to put up a regular school which started with two classes for children aged 4-6 years old and for children aged 7-10 in 1958.
With the success of its initial endeavour, a small wooden building located at Benavidez St., Sta. Cruz, Manila was renovated to house more classrooms. It was in l960, when one kinder class and elementary level grades 1 to 4 formally opened. Reverend Biao Khim was appointed as its first director. The school was registered under the name of Philippine Academy of Sakya, a non stock, non profit mission school of the Seng Guan Temple with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Reverend Biao Khim worked for the government recognition of Sakya. On April 16, 1961, its Kinder Program was recognized. Government recognition of the complete elementary course was granted on July 8, 1973 while the complete secondary course was granted government recognition on August 24, 1976.
With the increasing number of enrolees, the Board of Trustees facilitated the purchase of a nearby building. Due to the untimely death of Reverend Biao Khim, Sister Maria Say Kian Giap took over as the new director with Ms. Severina de Joya as principal.
Sakya continued to grow and has become an educational institution to reckon with, becoming especially known for its excellent Math program. In 1980, the Board of Trustees was able to purchase a 3000 sq. meter lot in Masangkay St., Sta. Cruz, Manila, where a four storey building was built. Eventually, 5th, 6th, and 7th floors were added.
After years of preparations, Sakya was recognized by PAASCU (Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools Colleges and Universities as one of its accredited schools. Sakya was able to comply and meet the standards set by the accrediting body to be able to earn the prestigious title that signifies that an institution offers quality education.
Evident of this is the school’s implementation of the Senior High School Program with the permission of the DepEd to operate STEM, ABM, HUMSS and GAS. This is a very clear proof that Sakya offers nothing but quality education to its Elementary, Junior and Senior High school students.
Sakya’s Math Program - its banner program, garnered medals in local and international Math competitions. The Chinese Program was also on the rise to recognition. Certainly, the school has been producing outstanding students sponsored by the DepEd and Manila City Hall. Its Chinese students have been reaping outstanding students’ title in different contest categories sponsored by various Chinese associations.
The school is being recognized by FAPE, (Fund for Assistance to Private Education), an international organization that subsidizes the school’s scholarship program thru the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Schools (GASTPE). Department of Education scholarships are only granted to schools that offer quality education like Sakya. The numerous scholarships sponsored by foundations, associations and temples, benefactors and personal friends help defray the expenses of the indigent and needy students.
The Medical and Dental mission program is a yearly activity of PAS catering to people of the barangay that it serves. A gift-giving activity in December has become a tradition in Sakya. A visitation to orphanages in Metro Manila is a yearly activity too which Sakya never fails to do.
Many times in the past, the school’s auditorium has been used as venue for national and international Buddhist conferences, symposia, and other religious activities most notable of these was during the international celebration of the VESAK Day.
True enough, Sakya has produced successful doctors, engineers, architects, computer programmers and many other professionals who are employed locally and globally. Thanks to its updated, comprehensive and innovative teaching and learning methods coupled with its outstanding and dedicated faculty members. And in compliance to the DepEd’s mandate, Sakya has adopted the K to 12 program since its inception until now.
Being the successor of Reverend Biao Khim, Sister Maria Say Kian Giap became the new school director until March 2020. Dr. Divina Gracia M. Gaspar took the position as school principal since June 2010 up to present. The tandem has earned them respect and admiration of both chinese communities and Association of Chinese Schools. This linkage has made it easy for them to facilitate donations, sponsorship and scholarship for the poor but deserving students.
Sakya is committed to its apostolic concerns which are sharing in the mission of the Lord Buddha and molding the students to be upright citizens of this country, thus, it seeks THE TOTAL FORMATION OF THE PERSON through the harmonious integration of culture and faith. It continues to make revisions and improvements in its curriculum to make it relevant and in keeping with the changing times. Sakya is now PAASCU LEVEL III accredited.
The PHILIPPINE ACADEMY OF SAKYA MANILA is a Buddhist educational institution established by the Buddhist Bhikus of Seng Guan Temple in 1960. The Academy is committed to its apostolic concern, which is sharing in the mission of the Lord Buddha, and molding the students to be upright citizens of the country, thus, it seeks THE TOTAL FORMATION OF THE PERSON through the harmonious integration of culture and faith. Sakya strives to enable each students to value his/her dignity and worth as a person, to accept his/her role and responsibility in the building of a community in a specific Philippine situation and to witness to the primacy of final attainment of Nirvana as exemplified by the Lord Buddha.
In order to fulfill this mission, the school commits itself to:
Sakya endeavors to pursue for the students a well-rounded, high quality education with the teaching of Buddhism as the guiding principle and philosophy. It is inspired by an environment of enthusiastic learners, dynamic and zealous administrators, dedicated and competent faculty and staff, and supportive and concerned parents and alumni inspire it.
President Seng Guan Temple & President Sakya Board of Trustees
Head Monk Send Guan Temple
Principal
Administrative Assistant
Academic Assistant / Head, Social Science Dept.
Chinese Supervisor
Registrar
Head, Science Dept & PAASCU Consultant
Head, Math Dept.
Head, Filipino Dept.
Head, English Dept.
Supervisor, Kinder Dept.
Team Leader, Computer
Team Leader, MAPEH
Head, Guidance Dept.
Head, Religion Dept.
Head, General Services Dept.
(L-R) Angeli Leppago, Nestine Michelle Cristobal, Mary Grace Versoza, Rossana Cuevas (English Supervisor), Shay Cruz, Mariadenne Dela Cruz,Mark De Leon
(L-R) Mercedes Villaroman, Abigail Repollo, Dr. Belen Chu (Head), Leticia Jiandani, Nina Nica Baccay , Romeo Tangpos
(L-R) 1st row: Robert Angelo Roldan, Melissa Victoria, Liza Montuerto, Ana Theresa Fernandez, 2nd row: Rose Dagunan, Elvira Go (Coordinator), Maria Gracia Francisco
(L-R) Ana Theresa Fernandez, Jaecel Janao, Evelyn Naval (Coordinator), Wilsheene Diego, Suzette Lansang
(L-R) Earl Abuel, Sherlyn Aldeguer, Pearlyn Ponesto, Manuel Kotah (Coordinator), Maria Gracia Francisco, Vhendy Joy Diotay, Estefanie Andres
(L-R) Robert Angelo Roldan, Maria Gracia Francisco (Team Leader), Winston Riel, Grace Agero, Joe Carlo Sahagun
(L-R) Alberto Acebron, Grace Agero, Evelyn Naval, Railli Ellazar (Coordinator), Agnes Macaraeg, Jervis Rene Hular
(L-R) 1st row: Romeo Tangpos, Jervis Rene Hular, 2nd row: Alberto Acebron, Rossana Cuevas, Maria Gracia Francisco, Estefanie Andres, Rose Dagunan, 3rd row: Felicitas Ng, Evelyn Naval, Elvira Go, Liza Montuerto, Donna Soriano
(L-R)Abigail Hernaez, Jaecel Janao, Alberto Acebron (Coordinator), Jaymar Dumlao, Celestina Tolentino, Lenilyn Pingco
(L-R) Mark De Leon, Romeo Tangpos, Robert Angelo Roldan, Rossana Cuevas, Joseph Sy (Team Leader), Carl Wesley Ong, Jervis Rene Hular, John Deo Del Castillo
Assistant Registrar
Executive Secretary / Psychometrician
Finance Officer
Junior High Councilor
Elementary Councilor
Student Activity Coordinator
Disciplinarian
Chinese Secretary
Canteen Staff
K-Act Assistant
School Physician
School Dentist
School Nurse
Auditorium
Outside Eatery
Canteen
Chapel
Daycare Room
Elementary Classroom
Highschool Classroom
Clinic
Garden
Biology Laboratory
Chemistry Laboratory
Cooking Laboratory
Physics Laboratory
Electrical Laboratory
Basketball Court
Kinder Library
Senior High Library
Audio Visual Room
Conference Room
Director's Conference
Drawing Room
Math Training Room
Computer Room
Playground
Social Hall
Bear your torch dear Sakyans,
marching on to peace,
With the sword of wisdom,
bidding errors cease;
Love’s our great commander,
ignorance our foe,
To dispel illusion, forward we must go.
Brave Sakyans won’t falter,
moving happily on,
We are still pursuing, path our master’s gone;
Failures cannot daunt us,
hope is born a new,
Knowledge wins the battle, righteousness is true.
Not for wealth or power,
nor the praise of men, Our’s a noble conflict, that must never end;
Kindness rise and vanish,
Our will always stand,
Bear your torch dear Sakyans,
filling truth’s command.
In consonance with the Mission Statement Sakyan education aims to transform the student into:
A PERSON who believes in the dignity of self and others; who will strive to discover and develop his capacities and abilities to the full, for the service of the country and the Lord Buddha.
A FILIPINO whose spiritual, moral, academic, cultural and vocational values acquired through his growing years, are brought to the fore as he lives;
A SELF-DIRECTED LEADER who demonstrate leadership through active participation at home, in school and in his own level of development. He is imbued with moral and spiritual strength and can fulfill his responsibilities;
A SAKYAN who is warm, simple, active and appreciative of the finer and nobler things in life, holding family values of primary importance and motivated by genuine love for all men;
A CITIZEN whose critical sensitivity to human needs and social issues impels him to be a witness of life, truth, freedom and justice in initiating and supporting a society that is truly human and fraternal, just and free.