Our Legacy
THE HISTORY OF ELIZABETH SETON SCHOOL
In 1975, educator Josefina V. Suarez and her entrepreneurial sister, Evelyn V. Alido, came together to establish a preschool in Bacoor, Cavite. That same year, Pope Paul VI canonized Elizabeth Ann Seton as the first American saint on September 14, 1975. Inspired by this event, they named their newly established school Elizabeth Seton School in her honor.
The school opened in the 1975–1976 School Year with a small but promising group of 34 students, serving the growing communities in the Las Piñas–Cavite area. Mrs. Suarez personally taught the students, while her sister, Evelyn, oversaw the administrative and operational aspects of the young institution.
During its formative years, the school moved to four different sites as it sought facilities to accommodate its steadily growing student population. In 1987, Elizabeth Seton School (ESS) finally settled into its permanent home in BF Resort Village, Las Piñas, where it also welcomed its first batch of high school students.
As the school continued to grow, it also sought to formally affirm and strengthen its identity as a Catholic educational institution. Guided by Monsignor Josefino Ramirez, one of the school’s founding board members, Elizabeth Seton School formally affirmed its Catholic identity in 1989. The occasion was marked by a special Mass celebrated by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, then Archbishop of Manila. In the same year, the school established a partnership with the Oblates of Divine Love Community of Rome, whose religious sisters became an important source of spiritual guidance and pastoral support for the school community.
As the school continued to build a strong reputation for academic excellence, marked by outstanding student performance in national assessment examinations and its Level I Accreditation from the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), it embarked on another significant milestone in its history. In July 1997, the school broke ground for a second campus in Imus, Cavite, expanding its reach and making quality Catholic education more accessible to families in communities farther south.
A year later, in June 1998, Elizabeth Seton School South, located in Anabu II-D, City of Imus, Cavite, opened its doors to its first batch of Setonians. This marked a significant expansion of the school’s mission and its commitment to bringing quality Catholic education closer to families in the growing communities of the South. A decade later, in celebration of its 10th anniversary, ESS-South erected a two-story chapel as a testament to its continuing commitment to strengthening its Catholic identity and nurturing the spiritual formation of its community. The chapel was blessed and inaugurated on February 15, 2008, in a ceremony presided over by the then-Bishop of Imus, His Excellency Luis Antonio Tagle.
After nearly four decades of dedicated service and tireless efforts to advance Elizabeth Seton School’s vision and mission, Dr. Josefina V. Suarez and Mrs. Evelyn V. Alido stepped away from the school’s daily administration and management. In a significant transition in the school’s history, they entrusted its leadership to Dr. Roberto T. Borromeo, an esteemed educational leader, longtime school consultant, and mentor to Dr. Suarez, who was installed as the second President of Elizabeth Seton School on September 13, 2013.
Under Dr. Borromeo’s leadership, Elizabeth Seton School continued to evolve through innovation, technology integration, and a culture of continuous learning. Under his leadership, both campuses of Elizabeth Seton School were granted Level III Status, the highest accreditation status granted by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU). This achievement reflects the school’s sustained commitment to quality, institutional excellence, and holistic learner formation. Beyond academic excellence, Elizabeth Seton School continues to develop innovative programs and meaningful learning experiences within an active, engaging, and vibrant campus environment, forming learners who grow in Faith, Love, and Selfless Service.
In 2025, Elizabeth Seton School celebrated its Golden Anniversary, marking five decades of educational ministry. The celebration featured a record-breaking blood donation drive and the Solaire Theater production, “This Is Where It Begins”, featuring more than 1,300 student performers.
Today, Elizabeth Seton School continues to build on its rich heritage while looking toward the future, remaining committed to Faith, Excellence, Service, and Innovation.