City officials recently conveyed its warm greetings and congratulations to the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary (APTS) on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.
In a resolution, local legislators stated that all the programs of APTS have continuously brought in an increasing number of international students and visiting scholars and ministers where an average of 200 students from around 30 different countries are enrolled in the APTS Baguio campus with all of the residential faculty are missionaries.
The APTS began as the Far East began as the Far East Advance School of Theory (FEAST) in Manila in 1964 before moving up to the city in 1986.
As soon as it moved into is current campus, the council noted that APTS, through its facility and students, got involved with various community projects, such as regular church services, and water baptism at the Baguio City Jail, regular mobile health clinics in collaboration with mountain churches, support missions, helped the city through its various natural calamities and organized numerous moral recovery programs for the police force.
The body stipulated that over the years, APT%S has continued its strong association with the local government and concerned government agencies as it actively participated in the annual Panagbenga float parade as well as the annual Chinese New Year banquet.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the council claimed that the APTS community donated free lunch packs and food, and the campus was opened to a medical team to give vaccinations.
According to the council, APTS grew increasingly in the international scene and hosted various inter-denominational ecumenical dialogues such as the First International Lutheran Pentecostal dialogue, the International Pentecostal Reform dialogue and is accredited with all three of the major international theological associations in the region: Asia Theological Association (ATA – Evangelical), Association for Theological Education in Southeast Asia (ATESEA – Liberal) and Asia Pacific Theological Association (APTA – Pentecostal/Charismatic).
The council revealed that its academic programs have also been given accreditation and recognition by secular governmental academic bodies, such as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED – Philippines), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA – Philippines) and most recently, APTS started a business or ministry degree program that is recognized by the Australian government body, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA – Australia).
Copies of the approved resolution will be transmitted to the APTS for its information, guidance, ready reference and further needed action. By Dexter A. See
