History of the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science of the Holy Cross of Davao College, Inc.

In pursuit of the quest to provide a human and Christian learning environment for the integral liberating formation of persons who will become effective agents of social transformation, the Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC) offered Bachelor of Arts major in Political Science (BA in PolSci) in 2005. For purposes of curriculum management, the BA in PolSci was under the College of Arts and Sciences, now the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Communication.

During the first four years, the major subjects were handled by Messrs. Democrito Buladaco, Arthur Pascua, Napoleon Trillanes, Joshua Martinez, Atty. Bibiano Bustamante, and Dr. Julie Sionillo. The maiden curriculum integrated education units thereby allowing the students to take the Licensure Examination for Teachers. In the 2007 curriculum, the American Government, Geopolitics, and International Law and Foreign Diplomacy were introduced as new major subjects.

To hone the leadership skills of the Political Science students, the Society of Men in the Art of Politics (SMAP) was founded, which was later renamed to the Student Movement in the Art of Politics (SMAP). The SMAP played an active role to keep the Holy Crossians informed about various political, social, and economic issues in the country and around the world through the conduct of seminars, dialogues, and other deliberative conventions.

The Political Science students also helped in the establishment of the Supreme Student Government (SSG) and its subsidiary organizations in HCDC. Because of the proven competence of the Political Science students to assume leadership roles, some students were elected to various SSG offices. It is noteworthy to mention that Messrs. Joel M. Accion, Dale Apollo A. Duo, and Winston P. Gonzales were PolSci alumni elected as SSG Presidents.

In 2010, the curriculum was revised to make the instructional delivery of the major and minor subjects more immersed and attuned to the significant developments and changes in the domestic and international spheres. During this time, Dr. Julie V. Sionillo was appointed as Subject Area Coordinator (SAC) for Political Science and Moderator of the SMAP. Subsequently, Dr. Meroflor Grace Lantajo took a brief stint as SAC for Political Science and Moderator of the SMAP before she took early retirement. Thereafter, the moderatorship was assumed by Ms. April Rose B. Calud, Dr. Arnulfo Ramos, and currently by Mr. Julius Cesar N. Deloy.

In 2012, the defunct Supreme Student Court was first headed by Mr. Terence Joseph Gasatan. In 2014, Mr. Gerard Wendyll Bentayao was elected as House Speaker of the SSG-House of Representatives. To date, Mr. Peter Paul P. Mabitad and Ms. Tweety Marifin O. Piolo were the recent Political Science students to have served as SSG President and House Speaker of the SSG-House of Representatives, respectively. The roster of Political Science student leaders continues even today as most of them are elected and/or appointed to various academic and non-academic organizations in HCDC.

In 2014, the SMAP changed its name to Parliamentary League of Students in Politics (P-POL) upon the ratification of its new Constitution and By-laws in response to the call to reform, renew, and reunite the Political Science students. The organizational change was necessary considering the implementation of the K to 12, in which there were no First Year and Second Year college students from 2016 to 2017. This reform instituted an improved parliamentary system of government within the organization.

The nationwide implementation of Senior High School caused a significant impact on students who were eligible to proceed in college in Academic Year 2016-2017. The enhancement of the basic education curriculum prompted the revision of the higher education curricula, which was implemented starting in Academic Year 2018-2019. Thus, the BA in Political Science Program revised its curriculum. In this new curriculum, minor subjects that were offered in Senior High School were removed and new major and elective subjects were introduced such as Public International Law, Constitutional Law, Introduction to Political Economy, Research 1 and 2, and World History.

To enable the students to apply their pieces of learning before graduation, the Political Science Program has established partnerships with various regional government agencies and private law firms for the Internship Program. Several Political Science graduates were absorbed after the internship.

In 2021, the Parliamentary League of Students in Politics revised its Constitution to respond to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Constitution enhanced the democratic governance of the organization by creating four collegial bodies (i.e., Parliamentary Assembly, Secretariat, Economic Assembly, and Judicial Assembly) and empowering the members to actively participate in the affairs of the organization.

Indeed, the Political Science Program of HCDC has come a long way. Over the years, it has produced many professionals both in the public and private sectors. Despite the inevitable difficulties, the quest to cultivate high-quality Catholic education that is anchored on shaping virtuous, brave, and excellent individuals will be sustained towards the attainment of a fully vibrant community of believers and Christ-centered evangelizers for the collective human development and the greater glory of God.