Generations: PSID’s 45 years of design education

MANILA, Philippines - For the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID), 2012 marks an important milestone — 45 years of excellence, family and legacy. PSID has steadily become a prominent presence in both the academe and design community alike.

In the mid-60s, the idea of establishing a design school was formed when engineer Agustin Cancio and Herminia Layug noticed the increasing number of socialites interested in practicing interior design. They promptly commissioned Edith Oliveros to design a certificate course program in interior design. A board of advisers, including acclaimed architect Lor Calma and National Artist Napoleon Abueva, was created.

In June 1967, PSID was established in Makati. The school only offered a four-term basic course. To cater to those interested in a higher level of design education, a decade later, the advanced course was introduced. In 1979, the first thesis exhibit was mounted and has become an annual tradition since.

The school’s graduates continued to excel in the board exams with two of its current faculty, interior designers Jie Pambid and Michael Pizarro garnering top honors in 1994 and 1995 respectively; and as the school garnered continuous recognition from the design industry, partnerships with other institutions and companies were also established. This cemented PSID’s stature in the industry.

The main strength of the school lies in its faculty of practicing design professionals. At any given term, a roster of over 20 professors teaches various specialized design subjects. These passionate professors have become an inspiration to students, so much so that many of the school faculty are actually PSID alumni. Spanning four generations of PSID alumni-turned-faculty throughout the school’s history, the PSID faculty has become a family of educators with a continuing legacy handed down to every generation.

For Nardy Aquino, one of PSID’s pioneer professors, his enjoyment of teaching stems from his desire to communicate and pass on what he has learned through his design experiences. This personal take on teaching has inspired many, including Jie Pambid, the current Dean and Director for External Affairs.

Jie was tapped by Rosemarie Bautista, the school’s dean at the time.  She noticed his previously acquired units in psychology and education, and offered him a teaching position on the spot. Encouraged by his own professors-turned-colleagues, Aquino and architect Flancia, he has never stopped teaching since.

Now in his 39th year as a professor, Gene Flancia is a second-generation faculty. He is inspired by his co-teachers’ love for teaching and PSID’s dynamic environment. He shares that if one has students with an age bracket from 16 to 60, ”it’s interesting to see the bravado of youth compared to the refinement of maturity.”

Sophia Ojeda, a professor in the advanced class, shares the same sentiments. She is constantly inspired by her students’ creativity. “It keeps me young and more open,” she shares. Although not a PSID alumnus, she has found a second home in PSID. When asked what makes her stay on as a professor, she says it’s 30 percent  teaching and 70 percent camaraderie of the faculty. “We’re all sincere about each other’s success.”

Belonging to the youngest generation of teachers, Geraldine Verga never expected she was going to become a teacher, but throughout her education at PSID, she was always inspired by Jie’s passion for teaching. “Previously, I could not talk in front of many people, but it came naturally.” When she finally took the leap to teach at PSID, she realized the value in imparting knowledge to her students. “It makes me grow as a person,” she says with a smile.

Over the years, the bonds of this academic family have been strengthened through their shared love for design, the fulfillment from teaching and the camaraderie as fellow design professionals.

By June 2013, PSID’s certificate course program extends into a full-fledged bachelor’s degree program through the establishment of the Philippine School of Interior Design – Ahlen Institute, Inc. On the same note, a sister school, the Rosario College of Business, Arts and Tourism in Cavite will also open its doors to offer a BS Interior Design degree, the school also plans to offer courses in entrepreneurship, tourism major in  airline  management.

Rosario Cancio Yujuico, school owner and president, shares that PSID has come a long way since its beginnings as a design school catering to socialites. Since 1967, the school’s four pillars: the faculty, students, staff and curriculum, have all come together in establishing PSID’s legacy in the design industry.

For 45 years, the continuing inspiration between teachers and students have given PSID a spirit and energy unlike any other. The study and teaching of design has come full circle, and the passion for design is very much alive in its halls.