History - University of Makati

The University of Makati’s journey more than 50 years ago.

Old Pamantasan ng Makati Building at Mayapis St., Makati City
Photo by Jane Masirag, December 2, 2011

Makati Polytechnic Community College
Makati College
Pamantasan ng Makati

The University of Makati’s journey started nearly 50 years ago. It was inspired by the desire to serve the Makati citizens with quality education. Thus, in 1972, through Municipal Resolution 242, Ordinance No. 64, series 1972, the Makati Polytechnic Community College or MPCC was established under the administration of then-Mayor Nemesio I. Yabut. As a community college that offered courses on industrial and business technology, it was authorized by law to offer courses for the upgrade, development, or re-orientation of skills in both degree and non-degree levels. It also offered a Technical High School program to cater to the demand for secondary schools in the district. MPCC was established to provide opportunities for the underprivileged and low-income residents of Makati City through free scientific, technological, industrial, and vocational fields.

In 1987, under the administration of then-Mayor Jejomar C. Binay, MPCC was renamed Makati College by virtue of Executive Order No. 03-87 s. 1987. Aside from the technical and vocational programs, additional four-year programs, as well as graduate programs in education, business, and public administration, were offered in the succeeding years all with government recognition.

Fort Mc Kinley (Fort Bonifacio) Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines, June 1, 1934

July 1, 1934March 2023

Photo: “Fort Mc Kinley (Fort Bonifacio) Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines, June 1, 1934” by War Department. Army Air Forces, US National Archives @ John Tewel is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED. / University of Makati – Center for Integrated Communications @ Big Ace Photo Studio

On January 10, 1990, the former Fort Andres Bonifacio College, a special public college, was ceded to Makati College through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Municipality of Makati and the Philippine Army. Consequently, programs offered by FABC were integrated into the existing curricula of Makati College. Not long after, Municipal Ordinance No. 43, series of 1991 was passed renaming Makati College to Pamantasan ng Makati (PnM). A locally-funded university in Makati.

UMak MOA Signing TESDA Aug 15 2001 - Dr Amelia Paje

Photo Contributed by Dr. Amelia Paje

Dualized University Education System (DUES)

In the year 2000, as part of the strategic plan to make PnM education more relevant, the administration, through the late President Tomas B. Lopez, Jr., re-launched the Dualized University Education System (DUES) among stakeholders and partners from the government and private sector. DUES aimed to enhance students’ competitiveness and employability of UMak graduates. It recognized the value of workplace experience to academic learning in the classroom and opened opportunities for industry practitioners to form part of the development of UMak’s curricular programs especially the On-the-Job training phase as well as other courses deemed necessary for students’ employability. As a result, the curriculum forged by the industry practitioners and the UMak faculty provided students with appropriate classroom learning and actual meaningful experiences that could easily land them suitable jobs. Along with this development was the renaming of PnM for the fourth time.

UMak Campus without Oval - Dr Amelia Paje

University of Makati

This was through City Ordinance 2002-11 passed on August 27, 2002, which amended City Ordinance No. 99-125, in which Pamantasan ng Makati’s new official name as University of Makati or UMak for short. At this stage, UMak had eight colleges and 36 programs of study ranging from one-year programs to graduate programs.

Photo Contributed by Dr. Amelia Paje

First to Pilot Senior High School Program in the Philippines

The roll-out of the Senior High School (SHS) program in the Philippines in 2011, gave UMak the opportunity to establish the Higher School ng UMak (HSU) as one of the first institutions to pilot the SHS program nationwide. HSU became another testament to UMak’s will and determination to fulfill its mission and vision of being one of the leading educational institutions in the country. Currently, HSU offers a full range of tracks with up to 11 strands under the four major tracks namely, Academic, Arts & Design, Sports, and Tech-Voc and Livelihood.

Indeed, UMak has expanded its wings from six colleges and one Technical High school in 1992 to 13 colleges and one Senior High School (HSU) now.

Photo: UMak

University of Makati Today

UMak has transformed to become a leading local university among the ALCU members. It continues to boast of its top-rated performance in the various board examinations, athletic competitions, competitions in the field of arts, and many more as well as its quest for excellence through ISO certification, accreditation and CHED recognition.