Uniquely dreaming beyond from Iloilo to QC: Angelicum Iloilo principal named rector, prexy of UST-Angelicum College  

By Anne Españo & Irene Sambas

A day before his departure, Angelicum School Iloilo seized the championship for the Regional Basketball Chairman’s Cup which was a parting gift perhaps. It was a farewell reminder of what he has established during his term. A few step backs from the past, over the span of four years… reminiscing the beginning that unfolded… looking back to the years that face-to-face classes were prohibited… he was there – always.

Having been shaped by the Order of Preachers, Rev. Fr. John Stephen Polonan Besa, O.P., commonly known as Fr. JSB continued the mission of preaching through education in a sparsely populated academy along the corner streets of Tabuc Suba, Jaro and unbeknownst to him discovered an abode on the lofty gates and archaic design of Angelicum School Iloilo (ASIL). Undoubtedly, through his zeal for rectification, he brought transformative changes to the institution within a course of four years from 2020 to 2024. Considering that the start of Besa’s journey as the principal of Angelicum was during the zenith of the malignant pandemic, it was no excuse for him not to revitalize the Angelicum System and redeem the school’s reputation.

The Angelicum Iloilo Community is a testament of a prophecy that appeared to be the hope of the once was ‘lost and forgotten.’ The four Angelicum School core values: veritas, caritas, justitia, and fortitudo (truth, charity, justice, and fortitude) were not just fragments of Besa’s ideology, these were the key foundation that paved the way for Angelicum to be back on its feet and reach for the pinnacle oncemore.

Father Besa worked tirelessly to ensure the welfare of every Angelicans were tended and protected. As a University of Santo Tomas (UST)-assisted school, he fostered a stronger connection between UST and Angelicum in various academic and administrative work to improve the school’s overall performance. Under his leadership, he was able to partner with UST to renovate the classrooms in preparation for the comeback of face-to-face classes in 2022. More impressively, the school’s faculty and staff underwent intensive training to enhance the curriculum and workforce inside the school. He again partnered with UST in renovating the library in 2023, transforming it into a state-of-the-art library where comfort and vibrance converge. In addition, the Angelicum Academic Scholarship Program (AASP) and the Angelicum Scholarship Program for Athletes (ASPA) were integrated to provide opportunities for each individual an access to quality education and excel in different fields.

“I am immensely thankful to Father Besa for providing me with a scholarship that has allowed me to pursue new academic opportunities. This opportunity has not only supported my education but has also strengthened my connection to the Angelicum community. The scholarship has been an immeasurable blessing, motivating me to work hard and reach my full potential,” said John Michael Belgira, a grantee of the Angelicum Academic Scholarship Program.

As a basketball player and basketball enthusiast himself, he ended the long hiatus of Angelicum’s basketball varsity program by bringing it back to life and successfully bringing it to new heights within its first year alone. With his never-ending guidance, the players dedicate their every accomplished throw as a tribute to their proponents.

“I express my sincerest gratitude to Fr. John Stephen Besa for selecting me as a recipient of the athletic scholarship. This opportunity motivated me to continue working hard on and off the court. As the pioneer of the reawakened Blue Owls, we are honored to represent the name of Angelicum and to play with our hearts and dignity. We, the athletes, are thankful for being part of the Angelicum family and to witness the support of Fr. JS,” shared Brin Oliver Jamerlan, one of the varsity players of the Blue Owls.

Not only did Fr. Besa prioritizes the good relationship between the school and the home, but he, along with Fr. Paul Lovell Javier, O.P (School Treasurer) and Fr. Honorato Castigador, O.P (School Director) went beyond the expectations of the students by allowing them to immerse themselves in the Thomasian life through the UST experiential learning program and more notably, in the international context through the first International experiential learning program in South Korea wherein cultures unite.

Rev. Fr. Besa served as a Principal, a close friend, and an avid supporter of all Angelicans and these were reflected in the prestigious accomplishments of the students in academics, leadership, journalism, and sports. He demonstrated competence and led the institution with unwavering grit and integrity as well as consistently upholding high ethical standards. Not only was the physical aspect of the school revitalized but so did the drive for excellence and success of both the students and the faculty.

“Fr. JS has supported every Angelican in their journey towards success and I was a witness of this. I am grateful for the new opportunities that Father JS has given me in academics, leadership, journalism, and even traveling because such opportunities have helped shape me into the learner I am today. Because of him, every Angelican feels inspired to achieve excellence in everything they do and we know that under his leadership, opportunities are limitless,” Anne Españo expressed her full respect to the former principal of Angelicum Iloilo.

As the learners of Angelicum Iloilo bid their farewell to Father Besa with bittersweet feelings, may his new journey as the 13th Rector and President of UST Angelicum College in Quezon City be a reason to celebrate as his visions and exemplary leadership background in Angelicum School Iloilo are bound to meet higher expectations in UST Angelicum College, even expanding his opportunities to help Angelicum.

Father Besa will certainly venture on a journey where his leadership and excellence will establish unprecedented yet exciting changes for the kindred academia. With him as the new Rector and President, he will not just meet expectations – he will exceed them and forge endless opportunities where every Angelican feels appreciated and genuinely loved just as how he made every Angelican in Angelicum School Iloilo feel. He is more than ready to dream beyond and forge another success path of this distinct brand of education in the country which is uniquely Angelicum.