De La Salle University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
De La Salle University

Pamantasang De La Salle  (Filipino) Unibersidad ng De La Salle
Former name	De La Salle College (1911–1975)
Motto	Religio, Mores, Cultura (Latin)
Motto in English	Religion, Morals, Culture
Type	Private, research, non-stock, coeducational higher education institution
Established	June 16, 1911 (114 years and 15 days)
Founder	Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic (Christian Brothers)
Academic affiliations	ACUCA ASAIHL ASEACCU AUN IALU IAU IFCU PATE SMIIC UBCHEA UNCOFIN
Endowment	₱286 million (US$6.52 million)
Chairman	Nestor V. Tan
President	Br. Bernard S. Oca, FSC
Academic staff	1,500
Students	23,110
Undergraduates	18,821
Postgraduates	4,289
Location	Main Campus: 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines 14°33′51.35″N 120°59′37.45″E / 14.5642639°N 120.9937361°E / 14.5642639; 120.9937361
Campus	Main: Manila: Urban 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines 5.45 hectares (54,500 m2) Satellite: Makati: Urban RCBC Plaza, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines Rufino: Urban University Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines 0.14 hectares (1,400 m2) Laguna: Suburban LTI Spine Road, Biñan, Laguna, Philippines 50 hectares (500,000 m2) Lian: Suburban Sitio Matuod, Binubusan, Lian, Batangas, Philippines 1 hectare (10,000 m2)
Hymn	Alma Mater Hymn
Colors	Green and White
Nickname	Green Archers
Sporting affiliations	UAAP PCCL PFFWL UNIGAMES PBA D-League Filoil EcoOil Sports
Mascots	Archers named Gordo, Flaco and Sally
Location in Manila Show map of Manila Location in Metro Manila Show map of Metro Manila Location in Luzon Show map of Luzon Location in Philippines Show map of Philippines

De La Salle University (DLSU) is a private, Catholic university in Manila, Philippines. It is also known as De La Salle or La Salle. The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools runs the university. It started as De La Salle College in 1911. It was the first De La Salle school in the Philippines. In 1975, it became a university.

DLSU is part of De La Salle Philippines (DLSP). This is a group of 16 schools. The university first taught only boys in elementary and high school. Later, it started offering college programs. Today, DLSU is a top university in the Philippines. It offers many programs for both boys and girls. These programs cover subjects like business, computer studies, and engineering. The university's patron saint is St. John Baptist de La Salle. He founded the Christian Brothers.

The Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has recognized DLSU. Many of its programs are called "Centers of Excellence." This means they are very good. DLSU is also one of the few schools with the highest level of accreditation. This is from the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU).

Discovering De La Salle University's History

The Philippines was one of the last places in Southeast Asia where the Christian Brothers started schools. They had already opened schools in other countries. At first, they didn't want to open a school in the Philippines. This was because Americans wanted them to teach only rich Filipino children. This went against their mission to teach everyone, especially the poor. But they agreed, believing that all children needed good Catholic training.

Manila Archbishop Jeremiah James Harty helped start DLSU. He wanted a De La Salle school to help spread Catholic education. In 1910, Christian Brothers arrived and found a good spot in Paco, Manila.

Construction of St. La Salle Hall around 1921

St. La Salle Hall around 1924

Early Years of De La Salle College

Nine Christian Brothers started De La Salle College. Three arrived in March 1911, and six more in May. The school officially opened on June 16, 1911. It had 125 students. By July, there were 175 students.

In 1912, the college became an official organization. It was allowed to give out high school diplomas. It also started a two-year business program in 1920. By 1921, the college had 425 students. It moved to its current location on Taft Avenue in Malate, Manila. This new spot had more space. In 1931, the two-year business program became a four-year Bachelor of Science in Commerce program.

World War II and Its Impact

During Second World War, Japanese forces occupied the Philippines. American Christian Brothers were held in a camp. Other Brothers stayed and taught at the Taft Campus.

The De La Salle campus first helped civilians and wounded soldiers. But on January 2, 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army took it over. The campus was badly damaged by bombings. Still, classes continued. Students from different schools even shared classrooms. In 1943, high school classes moved to St. Scholastica's College, Manila.

Classes at De La Salle stopped later. On February 1, 1945, Japanese forces ordered everyone to leave. But Br. Egbert Xavier Kelly, FSC, refused. He was taken by soldiers and is believed to have been killed. On February 12, 1945, Japanese soldiers entered the campus. They harmed many people, including 16 of the 17 Brothers living there. Only one Brother and 21 others survived.

The Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament at St. La Salle Hall

After the War: Growth and Changes

Classes started again in July 1945. The College of Commerce reopened in 1946. Its business program became four years long. In 1968, the high school department moved to La Salle Green Hills. The College of Commerce also helped create the Asian Institute of Management.

In 1973, the school started accepting both boys and girls. On February 19, 1975, De La Salle College became De La Salle University (DLSU). The Grade School Department closed in 1978.

In 1981, DLSU changed its school calendar. It moved from two semesters to three trimesters a year. Students were then called "Lasallians." In 1987, DLSU became part of the De La Salle University System. This system later became De La Salle Philippines, a group of 16 schools.

Recent Developments at DLSU

St. La Salle Hall in 2014, with Henry Sy Sr. Hall behind it

On September 26, 2010, an explosion happened near the DLSU campus. It injured many people. This happened during the Philippine Bar exams held at the university.

In 2012, De La Salle Canlubang joined DLSU. It became the De La Salle University – Laguna Campus. In 2015, DLSU started offering senior high school classes. This was because of the new K–12 education system. These classes began on June 1, 2016. In 2019, DLSU launched a new online learning system called AnimoSpace.

Exploring De La Salle University Campuses

DLSU has several campuses. The main one is in Manila. Others are in Laguna, Taguig (Bonifacio Global City), Makati, and Batangas.

Main Campus in Manila

An aerial view of the DLSU Manila Campus

St. La Salle Hall

St. Joseph Hall

St. Miguel Hall

Velasco Hall

Gokongwei Hall

The main campus is on Taft Avenue in Manila. It is 5.45 hectares big. Many other schools are nearby. Most buildings on campus have a classic design.

• St. La Salle Hall was the first building. It was finished in 1924. It is one of the few Manila buildings that survived the 1945 Battle of Manila. It is also the only Philippine building in a book called 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die. This hall houses the College of Business and School of Economics.
• St. Joseph Hall was completed in 1956. It used to be the library. Now it holds the College of Science.
• St. Miguel Hall was finished in 1969. It houses the College of Liberal Arts.
• Velasco Hall was completed in 1981. It houses the College of Engineering.
• Don Enrique T. Yuchengco Hall is a nine-story building from 2002. It has classrooms, meeting rooms, and offices.
• Gokongwei Hall was built in the 1990s. It houses the College of Computer Studies.
• William Hall is a seven-story building. It also houses the College of Science.
• Br. Connon Hall has the university clinic and student organization offices.
• Br. Bloemen Hall has food stalls and the studio for Green Giant FM.
• Br. Celba John Hall has offices for foundations.
• Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall is a 20-story building, the tallest academic building in the Philippines. It has many classrooms and faculty rooms.
• Enrique M. Razon Sports Center is the main sports facility. It has an Olympic-sized pool, courts, and weight rooms.
• The Faculty Center holds offices for different departments.
• The Science & Technology Research Center has research facilities and labs.
• Henry Sy Sr. Hall is a 14-story building. It holds the university library, now called the Learning Commons. It was completed in 2012.

The Manila campus is small for its many students. This can lead to crowded elevators. To solve this, DLSU builds taller buildings.

Laguna Campus: A Hub for Science and Tech

The Laguna campus is an extension of DLSU since 2012. It is 50 hectares big. It was built on land given by the family of Leandro Locsin. It used to be called De La Salle Canlubang. This campus offers programs in science and technology. In 2016, DLSU partnered with Ubisoft to open a game studio here. This studio opened in 2018.

Facilities at Laguna campus include:

• Milagros R. del Rosario Building, the first building, houses offices and labs.
• Learning Commons 1 is for pre-school and elementary students.
• Integrated School Complex (Learning Commons 2) is for Grades 5 to 10.
• One Mission Park has a statue of St. John Baptist de La Salle.
• Residence Hall is a dormitory for students.
• Kalye Berde is an elevated park.
• Richard L. Lee Engineering Technology Block is for engineering courses.
• George S.K. Ty Advanced Instrumentation Building has high-tech labs.
• Laboratory Building is an extension of the George S.K. Ty building.
• John L. Gokongwei Jr. Innovation Center houses the Ubisoft hub.
• The campus has a Football Field and Track Oval.
• St. Matthew Gymnasium is an indoor sports facility.
• Santuario de La Salle is a shrine to St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Rufino Campus in Bonifacio Global City

The Rufino Campus is in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It is home to the Tañada-Diokno College of Law. It is a seven-story building with classrooms and a moot court. It opened in 2017.

Makati (RCBC) Extension Campus

The Makati Extension Campus (MEC) is on the 5th floor of RCBC Plaza in Makati City. It mainly serves graduate business students.

Lian Campus: Marine Research Center

The Lian campus is a research facility in Lian, Batangas. It is called the De La Salle University – Br. Alfred Shields Ocean Research (SHORE) Center Marine Station. It is used for marine biology research and field activities. It opened in 2013.

How De La Salle University is Organized

The university is run by a board of trustees. This board chooses the DLSU president. The president must be a Lasallian Brother and have a PhD.

Since 1911, DLSU has had 24 presidents. Br. Bernard S. Oca, FSC is the current president, starting in 2021. Two former presidents also served as secretaries for the Philippine Department of Education.

University Connections

DLSU is the oldest member of De La Salle Philippines. This group connects 16 Lasallian schools. DLSP is part of a global network of Lasallian schools. Over 3,000 Christian Brothers and 90,000 teachers work in these schools. They manage over 1,100 schools in 80 countries.

DLSU is also part of many international university groups. These include the ASEAN University Network and the International Association of Universities. It is also a member of local groups like the South Manila Inter-Institutional Consortium.

Academics and Learning at DLSU

The facade of the Faculty Center (formerly the DLSU Library) built in 1985

DLSU offers over a hundred college and graduate programs. These are through its seven colleges and one school. It was one of the first in the Philippines to offer a degree in mechatronics and robotics. DLSU also has 15 research centers.

In 2010, 23,495 students applied for college, and 3,428 were accepted. In 2021–22, DLSU had 23,110 students. Most students are from Metro Manila. The university has about 1,500 teachers. Many of them have doctorate degrees.

The College of Liberal Arts and the College of Business are the oldest parts of the university. They started in 1918 and 1920. The College of Science became a separate unit in 1982.

The Br. Andrew Gonzalez College of Education started offering degrees in 1959. The Gokongwei College of Engineering was created after World War II in 1947. The College of Computer Studies started in 1981.

The College of Law and the School of Economics are the newest units, both from 2010. The College of Law focuses on environmental and human rights law. It was renamed the Tañada-Diokno College of Law in 2022.

How Grades Work

Grades range from 4.0 (excellent) to 0.0 (fail). Students with high grades receive honors like summa cum laude (highest honors). Graduation ceremonies happen in February, June, and October.

Tuition and Scholarships

DLSU's tuition fees are among the highest in the Philippines. The cost per unit varies by college. On average, it can cost around ₱205,000 to ₱225,000 per year.

DLSU offers many scholarships. High school valedictorians and salutatorians from De La Salle Philippines schools get free tuition. Children of military personnel who died or were injured also get benefits. Students whose families earn less than ₱500,000 a year can get financial help. The top 100 students in the De La Salle College Admission Test (DCAT) also receive full scholarships.

University Reputation and Rankings

De La Salle University is one of the most respected universities in the Philippines. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranks DLSU among the top universities worldwide. It is also ranked highly in Asia. Times Higher Education (THE) also includes DLSU in its world and Asia rankings.

DLSU is ranked second in the Philippines by Webometrics Ranking of World Universities. It is also second in the SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR). EduRank also places DLSU second in the country.

CHED has named 14 of DLSU's programs as "Centers of Excellence." This means they are top-notch. Five programs are "Centers of Development." DLSU is also one of 40 schools with "autonomous status." This lets them create new courses without needing CHED approval first.

DLSU is one of only two schools with the highest accreditation (Level IV) from PAASCU. Many of its engineering, science, and education programs have this top status.

Libraries and Collections

The university library started in 1956. It is now called the Learning Commons. It is in the 14-story Henry Sy Sr. Hall. This is the largest university library building in the Philippines. The Learning Commons covers many floors. DLSU also has smaller libraries on its other campuses.

The University Archives keeps historical materials about the university. It has old records, special collections, and even museum artifacts. The museum collection includes over 600 ceramic items from Southeast Asia. It also has rare Philippine banknotes and coins. There are over 200 artworks by famous Filipino artists. These include ten National Artists of the Philippines.

Research and Innovation at DLSU

The De La Salle University Science Foundation helps fund research. It gives grants to teachers and scholarships to students. Many DLSU teachers are involved in research projects. Their work is often published in important journals.

Since 2000, DLSU has been a key research center for CHED. It helps evaluate research proposals from other schools.

The College of Computer Studies has a center for "Empathic Human-Computer Interactions." This group studies how machines can understand human emotions. They work with Osaka University on projects like laughter recognition.

The Center for Micro-Hydro Technology designs small hydro generators. These generators help bring electricity to remote areas.

SINAG, the first Philippine solar car

DLSU engineering students and teachers built the only two solar cars in the Philippines. These are called SINAG and SIKAT. SINAG competed in the 2007 World Solar Challenge. SIKAT was designed for the 2011 competition.

The College of Engineering also researches biodiesel and sustainable technology. In 2020, DLSU started a project to make a space suit layer from Abaca fiber. This is funded by the DOST.

DLSU was named the most productive research university in the Philippines in March 2020. It published over 600 research papers in 2019. This was the most by any Philippine school that year.

Student Life at De La Salle University

Br. Connon Hall, where the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is located

The Council of Student Organizations has 39 student groups. They help organize university events, like welcoming new students.

The LaSallian (English) and Ang Pahayagang Plaridel (Filipino) are the official student newspapers. Other student media groups include Malate Literary Portfolio and Green Giant FM.

The De La Salle University Chorale in 2010

Performing Arts

The De La Salle University Chorale is the main choir group. It has won many awards in international competitions since 1987.

The La Salle Dance Company – Street is a champion in the UAAP Street Dance Competition. They have won four championships. They also compete in the World Hip Hop Dance Championships.

The Harlequin Theatre Guild is the official theater group. It performs plays by famous writers.

Athletics and Sports

The De La Salle Green Archers in 2010

Green Archer Statue

De La Salle has many sports teams. They play in competitions like basketball, volleyball, and football. In 1924, De La Salle College joined the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It won five championships there.

In 1986, DLSU joined the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Since then, it has won three UAAP General Championships. Many great athletes from La Salle are honored in the Sports Hall of Fame.

Alma Mater Hymn

The Alma Mater Hymn was composed in the 1950s. It was first sung at a graduation in 1964. It became the official song for De La Salle schools in the Philippines. Students and alumni sing it at the end of all La Salle events. They raise a clenched fist in the air. DLSU was the first school in the Philippines to sing its Alma Mater Song after sports matches.

Animo La Salle: The School Spirit

Animo means "Spirit to Fight." It is also known as the "La Salle Spirit." Animo La Salle is the school's battle cry. It comes from the Lasallian spirit of "Faith & Zeal." "Faith" is shown by a star. "Zeal" is shown by three broken chevrons. These symbols are from the ancient family coat of arms of St. John Baptist de La Salle. The family motto, Indivisa Manent, means "Permanently Indivisible." This is now "One La Salle" for De La Salle Philippines.

Notable Alumni

Images for kids

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  Don Enrique T. Yuchengco Hall

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  Halls of the university

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  St. John Baptist de La Salle, universal patron of teachers

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  Psychology Department

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  William Shaw Theater

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de La Salle-Manila para niños

• Ateneo de Manila University – De La Salle University's major college rival
  • Ateneo–La Salle rivalry
• De La Salle Brothers
• De La Salle Brothers Philippine District
• De La Salle Philippines
• John Baptist de La Salle
• Lasallian educational institutions
• List of colleges and universities in Metro Manila