Rev. Fr. Rogelio Alarcon, O.P., former Rector & President of Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Manila, and an alumnus, proposed the idea of having another campus in the north.

By what could be described as heavenly intercession and providential twists, Abucay was selected. The community of St. John Lateran, the Board of Colegio de San Juan de Letran and the Council of the Philippine Dominican Province approved the establishment of Letran Bataan in 1998.

In a meeting held by the Provincial Council on March 29, 1999, the acceptance of the donation of a lot in Abucay, Bataan for an extension campus was approved. This was donated by Mayor and Mrs. Liberate Santiago, and Mr. and Mrs. Nicanor Soriano during the term of Gov. Leonardo Roman.

Environmental Planner and Architect Yolanda Reyes decided to take the highest point of the donated lot to be the site of the campus, of which the Letran Fathers’ community agreed to during their trip to the site.

The site was chosen because of the natural character it projects – a plateau. This was incorporated in the overall design and conceptual master planning of the campus.


A four-lane road was also constructed to connect Dominican Avenue from Roman Super High way which leads up to the campus.

Preparations for the establishment of Letran Bataan spanned over the terms of three Filipino Dominican provincials: Rev. Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, O.P., Rev. Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P., and Rev. Fr. Edmund Nantes, O.P., an alumnus.

Construction started in 2000 in the 15-hectare area as spearheaded by Rev. Fr. Edwin Lao, O.P., Rector & President of Letran Intramuros from 1999 to 2007

The blessing and inauguration was on June 4, 2006 as graced with the presence of the priors, superiors, and brethren of the Philippine Dominican Province. Bishop Socrates Vilegas, D.D., also an alumnus, officiated the Eucharistic celebration and blessing.

The opening of classes of the pioneer batch comprising of 79 students was on June 14, 2006. The dean then was Dr. Victoria Rosas, with assistant dean and registrar Mr. Reynaldo Javier. The first foundation week celebration was held on January 30, 2007.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Bataan is considered as the first Catholic tertiary school and an emerging university town in Bataan. A breath-taking view of the Manila Bay and the surrounding mountains, including Mt. Samat, envelop the site. One of the main attractions of Letran Bataan is its relatively undisturbed natural area and environment. Indeed, an ideal place for study.