Baguio Electronics & Technical Institute History

It all started way back 1969, when Wilfredo Abad Sr., Engr. Antonio Kobatake, Roger Hipol, Romeo Ocampo Sr., Ben Dalupan, Bienvenido Peña, Elidio Campos, Eduardo Novilla, Richard Cheng and Rosalia delos Santos shared their concepts and ideas in creating an institution that will produce skilled technicians and operators.

They were all skilled technicians of big companies. Even with such limit on their budgets, these people together with some other colleagues aimed on one purpose – to impart their knowledge on the next generation. They started building their dream without a penny for a profit. Starting out with scraps, they collected all books and references they’ve kept from their school years, VOMs (Voltage Ohm Meter), and everything they found important for their dream school.

With such small library of knowledge on their field, they started advertising their little institution, unexpectedly, everything turned out the way they wanted it to be.

Each day, more and more people, old or the youth, came and enroll on their just began institution.

A history in the making until 1971 when Digital Computer Incorporated (DCI) was born. Because of the need of trained manpower in electronics and electricity, the brains behind the DCI-focused mainly on formulating a technological institution. After one year, Baguio Electronics and Technical Institute (BETI) came to life. It was then located at the Llamas-Hocson building at the heart of downtown Baguio. Courses offered then were related to electronics – electronics technician (2 years), practical electricity (1 year), and basic computer programming, having only 59 enrollees. But come 1973, the institution opened new courses – communication technician, television technician, radio telegrapher and radio telephone operator.

In 1974, the first commencement exercise of BETI was held with 59 students who graduated. In 1979, the two-year course general radio communication operator (GRCO) was offered and on June of 1982, the two-year electrical technician was opened. Success was at hand for BETI when it has reached 816 enrollees in the first semester of school year 1984-1985. A need for a larger accommodation was deemed necessary. As such, the administrators had to rent additional classrooms at the 3rd floor of the Phil-Banking building along General Luna Road for the growing population of the school.

The July 16, 1990 earthquake that shook Baguio almost put an end to the dream BETI was treasuring very dearly. The building where BETI stood was condemned. The president, Abad Sr., had to ask the permission of city officials to let the school use the westside of the Athletic Bowl grandstand as temporary classrooms for the students. Then, classes resumed at Tan Building along Magsaysay Avenue. But enrolment percentage decreased. Still, no calamity or trials can stop the objectives of BETI. Instead, this experience served as a way for the school to aim higher.

Two years after the quake, Abad introduced the ladderized system for the three-year courses – computer technology, electrical technology and electronics technology. Its objective is to fill the vacuum created by the conversion of local technical school into a college. In June of 1999, with the permits granted by the Commission on Higher Education, the school was elevated to the college level and was renamed as BETI College of Technology with the launching as college on October 28, 1999. That same year, four-year courses such as the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (major in electronics and electricity) were offered. Two years later, the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education was offered.

All curricular offerings were based not only one person’s knowledge but from everyone who are knowledgeable on the needed curriculum, researched on them thoroughly, basing it not only locally but also in an international basis. The mission is “To provide quality education by equipping students with necessary knowledge and skills, desirable work attitude and values vital to leaders for industrial development” and with a vision “To produce competent workers, teachers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in the field of electronics, electricity, computers and communications, who shall have confidence to effect improvement of life in their respective communities.” Still having the knowledge on the guilds system of the early Mediterranean; meaning passing on the knowledge to the next.

From then on, BETI had been accepting students who are a Department of Science and Techology (DOST) and Pesfa scholars as certified by Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education And Skills Development Authority (TESDA) respectively. BETI College of Technology wasn’t only known for being active in electronics and electricity, but also active in interschool competitions such as press conferences, where in BETI had made its way through the winding and complicated world of journalism, making BETI one of the best when it comes to artistic and critical writing and expressing through papers.

In sports, BETI showed that physical activities were never absent on its syllabus on basketball, volleyball, taekwondo, boxing, table tennis, chess and darts. BETI students have long been active during intramurals and during interschool competitions, set by Higher Education Sports Athletic Association, proving that this college wasn’t only on wires, lightning system and studying electricity. Joining quiz bees were also one of the highlights of BETI ever since. Because of its aim of wanting its students to be more socialistic, this college encourages its students to also be active in science and mathematics. For the past few years, BETI have been sponsoring seminars for their students and personnel. To ensure true knowledge is being imparted to them until now. Because of the curricular and activities this college offers, BETI made its name colorful on other schools in citywide, regional and even going near to national accreditation. Making it an ideal school to be.

On March of 2003, BETI College of Technology had its 29th commencement exercises on its technical courses and the 1st on the baccalaureate degree courses. BETI College of Technology produces more skilled technicians and operators, not only for local employment but also abroad. Starting by introducing some clubs and organization to their students and encouraging them to join on one or more of those social groups, to be able to improve or increase the student’s sociological life, giving confidence on them to participate on social activities in preparation for the school’s aim of wanting their students to become a member of an international organization and not only on local groups.

Moreover, setting educational trips to some related companies such as those trips to an electrical company, radio stations and TV stations, for its students to know the significance of what they are studying. Almost All personnel are also graduates of master degree courses, making them very proficient to become a part of the BETI family and the students. Now, as BETI carries on with its objectives, purpose, its mission and vision, this school starts to journey into infinity and beyond.

With its starting point of offering 5-year courses – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering – BETI strives its way to the more technologically-driven world.

At present, BETI is now carrying the name BAGUIO COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY (BCT) located at 37 Harrison Road and 51 Plaza Natalia Building in Naguilian Road Baguio City where it caters more than a thousand students every semester. BCT journeys forward to the future as a body, like it was still starting its dream of being an institution, to a college, and maybe then, a university.