STI College Surigao was first established as a technical-vocational institution in March 1999, by its majority owners, Engr. Leonel A. Santos and Mrs. Alicia C. Santos, with the aim of empowering residents of Surigao City to find gainful employment after graduation. Known then as STI Surigao City, it opened its doors in June 1999, offering the following two-year courses: Diploma in Computer Studies and Diploma in Computer and Electronics Technology with a total enrollment of 147 students.
In June 2002, it was granted by the Commission on Higher Education with Temporary Permits to offer the following courses: five-year Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, and four-year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. The four-year program Bachelor of Science in Computer Science followed in June 2003.
STI College Surigao prides itself in its faithful adherence to quality management in accordance with standards of STI Headquarters, as well as that of its regulatory agencies: the TESDA and CHED.
Since the year 2003, STI College Surigao has consistently landed in STI Network’s Winners Circle. In 2004, it was chosen STI SCHOOL OF THE YEAR, while Engr. Leonel Santos was awarded CEO OF THE YEAR and Ms. Alicia C. Santos, COO OF THE YEAR.
Both the CEO and COO of STI College Surigao are highly-respected professionals and members of the business community of Surigao City whose linkages with professional, business and local government units have been instrumental in the steady growth of the school. The CEO, Leonel A. Santos, Ch.E., has the following affiliations:
- President of Pacific Cement Philippines, Inc.
- Chairman and President, Surigao Economic Development Foundation
- Proprietor, Agencia Surigao Pawnshops
- Co-Chairman, Regional Development Council, Caraga Region XIII
- Private Sector Representative of Surigao City , Regional Development Council, Caraga Region XIII
- Chairman, Regional Investment Promotion Committee, RDC XIII
- Trustee and Regional Governor for Mining, Mindanao Business Council (MBC)
- Private Sector Representative of Caraga Region to the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo).
- Chairman, Economic Development Committee, Provincial Development Council, Surigao del Norte
- Vice President for Mindanao, Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers
- Former Regional Governor, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Past President, Surigao Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.
- Past President, Rotary Club of Surigao City The COO, Alicia C. Santos, C.P.A., likewise has the following affiliations:
- Chairperson of the Surigao Metropolitan Water District
- President of the Surigao del Norte Association of Technical-Vocational Institution (SURNATI)
- Chairperson, Provincial Technical Education and Skills Development Committee, (PTESDC), the policy-making body on technical vocational education and training (TVET) in the province.
- Past president, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Surigao del Norte Chapter
These varied linkages of the CEO and COO of STI College Surigao, Inc., have ensured the steady growth of the institution from a fledgling tech-voc institution (TVI) with 147 semestral enrollees in June 1999, 219 students in June 2000 to a highly-respected institution with 512 enrollees in June 2005, 282 of them enrolled in degree courses. The school remains firmly committed to using its linkages with government and industry as a bridge between enrollment to employment for its graduates. In March 2006, it will graduate its first batch of BS in Information Technology students, for which it was issued Government Recognition (GR)? R13-464108-01, Series of 2005 by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).