History
The Birth of a Mission
In the year 1919, a group of far-sighted Filipino women founded the Philippine Women’s College (PWC), a non-sectarian school that prepared young girls for leadership and service. The women were: Clara Aragon, Concepcion Aragon, Francisca Tirona Benitez, Paz Marquez Benitez, Carolina Ocampo Palma, Mercedes Rivera and Socorro Marquez Zaballero.
PWC opened its first classes on June 9, 1919 with approximately 190 students enrolled for kindergarten, elementary, and first to third year high school classes.
The original site was a three-storey house on A. Flores Street, Ermita, Manila. PWC moved to its present site on Taft Avenue on June 1, 1926.
A University
In 1932, thirteen (13) years after its founding, the institution was granted government recognition as a university, becoming henceforth the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) and thus the first university for women in Asia founded by Asians. The official recognition was announced by First Board Chairman Justice Jose Abad Santos.
Historically, the university is credited with a number of ‘firsts” and pioneering innovations. Some of the ‘firsts” came before the school earned university status. The organization of the Student Council, the first such council in a Philippine private school in 1922. Pharmacy in year 1924. Business Administration, four-year course in a private school in 1926. Home Economics as a bachelor’s degree course in a private school in 1928. The Graduate School in 1931.
The tradition of educational innovation continued after elevation to University status. Child Development Center and Social and Civic training in 1938, the latter evolving into the present MSCED (Moral, Social and Civic Education) course required at all levels in all courses and disciplines as a hallmark of PWU education. The College of Music and Fine Arts in 1947. The Institute of Human Relations and the Family Life Workshop of the Philippines in 1948. The Community College, first late afternoon and evening school for working women, in 1949. The Philippine School of Social Work in 1950. Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1952.
The University has coped with many vicissitudes, including to being burned and razed to the ground during the battle for the liberation of Manila in 1945. But, phoenix like, PWU arose from the ashes, grew and flourished, even more vigorous, innovative and determined to continue serving the youth of the land to make them be the best they can become.
PWU extended its mission for women in other parts of the country, notably the former Philippine Women’s College in Iloilo, and the Philippine Women’s College in Davao, its outreach to Southern Philippines and our Muslim brothers and sisters. One of the founders, Francisca Tirona Benitez, served as university president from 1921 to 1966. Conrado Benitez, noted educationalist and one of the seven wise men of the Philippine Constitution, served as chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1946 to 1971 followed by Filemon Rodriguez, Ramona S. Tirona, and Tomas C. Benitez. Former Senator Helena Z Benitez, the first Alumnae President of the University has been at the helm of the Univesity for more than three decades and in 1980 became Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.
Currently serving both men and women in its Manila, Quezon City, and Davao campuses, the University has laid the foundation for corporate entrepreneurial university, market-driven in partnership with business and industry, government and non-government, on-site and online, and catering on computer-related, internet-assisted teaching and learning where student competencies and skills are achieved through economically gainful hands-on experiences.
PWU is a member institution of Philippine Association of College and Universities (PACU), Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) as well as the International Association of Universities and the International Association of University Presidents.
PWU Logos Through the Years
A brief history of the PWU logo’s evolution through the years.
1919-1929
The Philippine Women’s College era. Available documents bear no PWC logo up until its elevation to University status in the year 1930.
1930-1953
The Philippine Women’s University – first official logo showing a woman sitting on the fence. Appeared in the official publications of the University, the logo remains in used up to year 1953.
The Historical Seal
The Philippine Women’s University is conceived here as a center of learning where Filipino women are afforded the means to a good education in which the moral virtues, together with love of learning, truth and the home, are taken to be the leading motives.
The ionic Pillar of Wisdom stands for the aspiration of the morally strong – to support a moral edifice.
The antique lamp stands for Truth which educates the mind’s eye to see the world of reality.
The book is emblematic of Learning
The house implies the Home which looks to women for upkeep.
1954-1976
A new logo with triangle and three (3) campus branches appeared in the year 1954. However, the use of the logo with a woman sitting in the fence remain.
In the official publications of the University, there are instances wherein the logo with a woman sitting on the fence appears and at certain times, only the triangle logo is used. In publications where both used simultaneously, the woman logo is in front and the triangle logo is behind.
The single and simultaneous use of the two logos was practiced up to year 1976.
1966
In October 1966, the University launched a new logo created by Mariano “Chito” Madarang, head of PWU Fine Arts department. It was featured in a publication by the Office of Public Relations on the same month and year.
However, there are no documents showing that this logo was ever used other than being featured in the abovementioned publication.
1977-1992
In the year 1977, the University dropped the triangle logo and used singularly the logo with a woman sitting on the fence up to year 1992.
1992-2009
In the year 1992, the University adopted the two-logo format. On the left was the historical seal (woman sitting on the fence) while on the right is the circular seal bearing the letters PWU and number 1919 (the founding year).
2010-2023
The University replaced the use of two-logo format into a single corporate logo as per CEO-FCO Memorandum #115 SY 2010-2011 dated November 9, 2010.
The maroon color has been updated with the following values:
- CMYK color model (both print and screen)
-
- C (Cyan): 0%
- M (Magenta): 100%
- Y (Yellow): 40%
- K (Black): 40%
The historical seal was used exclusively for documents and other official purposes.
2023 – Present
In line with continuous effort to strengthen the brand and consistency across all communication materials, the University updated the single corporate logo style as per Office of the President (OP) Memo #016 SY 2023-2024 dated November 7, 2023.
The maroon color has been updated with the following values:
- CMYK color model (for print)
-
- C (Cyan): 27%
- M (Magenta): 94%
- Y (Yellow): 84%
- K (Black): 26%
- RGB color model (for screen)
-
- R (Red): 147%
- G (Green): 40%
- B (Blue): 44%
- HEX (Web Color):
- #93282C
- PANTONE:
- PMS 7622 C