ABOUT US

CAMELLA SCHOOL INC., former CAMELLA LEARNING CENTER INC. started its operation in May 1983. It started in a house in No. 19 Dinar St., Camella 3-A, Pamplona, Las Pinas City. The house is a three bedroom bungalow house, converted into three classrooms for Nursery, Kinder and Prep pupils, with dining room serving as the common area. Mrs. Norma M. Baccay, the school director, was the lone teacher for all levels in Pre-school for the first year of operation. In its first year of operation, there were a total of thirty five (35) pupils who enrolled in the different levels. On its second year of operation, there was an increase of enrollment from 35 to 150 students.

Mrs. Baccay then hired Mrs. Paz Abrera (now deceased) and Mrs. Prescilla Berciles, as additional teachers. The two were her co-teachers at Rafael Palma Elementary School in Vito Cruz Manila, where Mrs. Baccay was also employed as a Grade one teacher. On its third year of operation in 1986, there was a big increase in the enrolment due to the effectiveness of the teachings of Mrs. Baccay and her two teachers. The graduates of the pre-elementary level were all accepted in the known big schools in 1983, and these were St. Joseph’s Academy in Las Pinas, St. Paul’s Paranaque, St. Andrew’s Paranaque and DeLa Salle Alabang. There is a market for, subdivisions such as Camella 3A,3B,3C,3D, Manuela 4A,4B, 4C,4D were the favorites of new couples to buy their homes due to the accessibility of the place.

In view of the need to accommodate the increase, the school transferred its location from the house in No. 19 Dinar St., to No. 4 Lira St. also located in Camella 3-A Subdivision, This is a newly opened block of Camella Homes in Lira St. by Household Development Corporation. The President of Camella Homes offered the entire two blocks of Lira St. to Mr. and Mrs. Baccay, but in view of the financial turmoil in 1983-1985, Mr. and Mrs. Baccay only bought Block 1, which was then consisting of six lots with a total area of 800 square meters, which was the requirement of the Department of Education for schools who want to open a Pre-Elementary education course.

Mr. and Mrs .Baccay saw the need to incorporate the school, and the Camella Learning Center Inc., was incorporated in June 1985. The money for buying the lots from Household Development Corporation and the subsequent building of the one storey building at that time came from Engr. Briccio A. Baccay, who was then hired as a Technical Instructor of Saudia Airlines, Saudi Arabia. Engr. Briccio Baccay, prior to working at Saudi Airlines was working as a Technical Instructor at Philippine Airlines and as a professor in the Aeronautical Engineering Department of Feati University.

Camella Learning Center Inc., then started to offer gradually Grades 1-6 of the Elementary Course, considering that it had the students already who completed the Pre-Elementary Course and those students who transferred from other schools. And thus, in 1990 or after five (5) years from 1985, it amended its corporate name from Camella Learning Center Inc to Camella School Inc., adopting the name of the subdivision where it started. Thereafter, Mr. and Mrs. Baccay, started to buy the adjacent lots within the area , and subsequently acquired the other lots.

In 1991, Camella School offered the complete Secondary Course, from first year to fourth year high school. The first graduates of the fourth year school started in 1995. At this time, there were three buildings constructed within the initial six lots of Camella School Inc. Likewise, the population of the school grew, from 300 students to 500 students.

In 2000, the administration saw the need to improve the school in terms of space, thus, Sps. Baccay bought the houses and lots offered by their neighbors, particularly those situated in Block 2 of Lira St., Hence, from the original six lots where the three building were constructed, an additional seven lots were bought by Mr. and Mrs Baccay. Out of the original 20 lots within Block 1 and Block 2 of Lira St., Sps. Baccay were able to buy the 15 lots, now known as Camella School Inc.

Major construction began in 2001, wherein a Multipurpose Hall was added, a gymnasium was constructed and a canteen was provided for the students and employees of Camella School Inc. And in 2009, the houses were demolished and a new four storey building of Camella School Inc. was constructed and was finished in 2011 . It was ready for the opening of classes in June of 2011.

The school is managed by Mrs. Norma M. Baccay, who serves as School Director, Engr. Briccio A. Baccay, who serves as School President. Their children namely: Atty.Ma. Jeanette Baccay – Tolentino and Dr.Ma. Jennifer Baccay – Casem, worked as Corporate Secretary / Treasurer and School Administrator respectively. There are thirty (30) faculty members, twenty (20) support personnel and fifteen (15) non-teaching personnel of the school.

At present there are about 800 students enrolled in different levels of Camella School. Classrooms are all air-conditioned,CCTV installled and wifi ready. Camella School also adapted to the changing learning environment, wherein e-learning is now provided at all levels through its partnership with Phoenix Publishing.