Fr. Rogelio Alarcon, 1st head of Filipino Dominicans, dies at 87
MANILA, Philippines — Rev. Fr. Rogelio B. Alarcon O.P., who served as the first prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines has died at the age of 87.
Based on a statement from his close relatives, Alarcon died peacefully on Saturday, May 17.
Prior to leading the ranks of the Filipino Dominican Order, Alarcon dedicated himself to the educational needs of many, serving as a missionary in various countries, including Ethiopia and Iran.
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He was known for having been an educational reformist, rendering his service to various schools such as the Colegio San Juan de Letran; Aquinas University (now University of Santo Tomas or UST-Legazpi); Aquinas School-San Juan; Dominican College- San Juan; and Siena College-Quezon City.
He was also recognized as the the “Father of the Non-Graded system of Learning in the Philippines,” having founded the Angelicum School (now UST Angelicum College), a school which broke away from the traditional framework of education, and then later the Seibo College.
Father Alarcon is survived by his remaining sister, Milagros B. Alarcon FMM; 4 nieces and nephews; 10 grand-nieces and nephews; and 11 great-grand-nieces and nephews; as well as all his spiritually-adopted “children and grandchildren,” those he ministered to and devoted his whole life for.
Alarcon’s funeral Mass is scheduled on May 21, Wednesday, 9 a.m., with internment following at Santuario de Santo Domingo in Quezon City. /cb
