MANILA, Philippines – St. Stephen High School held a double celebration recently at the school auditorium for having been awarded Level III Accreditation Status and for the launch of a winning postage stamp.
The Level III accreditation status is the highest level awarded by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) through the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities-Accrediting Agency Incorporated (ACSCU-AAI).
Moreover, two Stephanians — Krysten Alarice Tan and Justen Paul Tolentino — were also recognized for winning first and second place, respectively, in the “On-the-Spot Stamp Design Contest” sponsored by the Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC) in line with the United Nations Declaration of 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity.
Guests were welcomed by the school’s board of trustees chaired by Bishop Dixie Taclobao, SSHS Alumni officers, PREPTA officers, OIC postmaster general and CEO Atty. Antonio de Guzman, and United Nations Information Center (UNIC) Manila officer Ma. Teresa L. Debuque.
School principal Judy G. Tan gave the opening remarks and presented the FAAP certificate for Level III Accreditation Status to Bishop Dixie Taclobao, after which the Stephanian Singers gave a rendition of Ikaw Lamang and Wind Beneath My Wings, under the baton of Patricia Lim. This was followed by inspiring messages on the importance of letter writing and the use of stamps by Atty. Froilan C. Tejada Jr. and Ma. Teresa Debuque.
Another highlight of the program was the “Signing of the First Day Cover” wherein the two student awardees joined Tan and representatives from the PPC and the UN onstage.
To cap off the celebration, the SSHS Chinese Dance Troupe danced to the tune of A Day of Joyful Celebration. The Stephanian family then sang To God Be the Glory to express their gratitude to God.