History of DCE

The roots of the Department of Civil Engineering (DCE) can be traced back to 1991, when the UP Board of Regents approved the BS Civil Engineering program for UPLB. Former Dean of CEAT, Dr. Wilfredo P. David formed the DCE with 3 BSCE staff members of the Engineering Science Department as joint faculty and with Dr. Danielito T. Franco, Chairman of the Engineering Science Department, as interim OIC. In 1992, Dr. Victor S. Luis, Jr. of the Department of Land and Water Resources took on the helm as full-time OIC and it was during this term that the first students of the BSCE program were admitted.

In 1995, Dr. Senen M. Miranda, a BSCE graduate of UP Diliman, succeeded Dr. Luis as the first Department Chairman. During his term, he oversaw the full development of the program. DCE began to offer major courses in civil engineering and to provide for the demand, the department outsourced lecturers from various government and non-government agencies in Los Baños.

In 1997, the department bore witness to its first set of graduates and hired its first top graduate, Engr. Marish S. Madlangbayan as an instructor along with esteemed professionals like Engr. Hector Palma, Engr. Jovita M. Saguing, and Engr. Glenn M. Pintor. In the succeeding years, the department kept hiring its top graduates like Engr. Ferdinand F. Bengusta, Engr. Carlo F. Moya, Engr. Mylene M. Palaypayon, Engr. Ramil G. Mijares, Engr. Allan Karlo S. Abrogena, and Engr. Michael Ryan R. Barile.

Dr. Miranda retired in 2003, leaving behind a legacy of excellence in the Department of Civil Engineering. In 2004, Asst. Prof. Marloe B. Sundo briefly became chair but later that year was replaced by Dr. William T. Tanzo. In 2006, now-Professor Sundo regained the chairmanship and hired several of its graduates as faculty. In 2009, Dr. Marish S. Madlangbayan, having finished his PhD, rejoined the faculty along with Dr. Eliseo V. Ana. In 2010, Dr. Madlangbayan became department chair and several other professors returned from their graduate studies, including Asst. Prof. Perlie Velasco, who later became the chairwoman of the department and Dr. Richelle G. Zafra, who succeeded Asst. Prof. Velasco in 2018.

Through the years, the department has grown with a faculty of only three to 13. The number of freshmen students admitted annually has also grown from 50 in the first batch and now numbering 100. At present, the department has the largest student population in the college.