AMA Computer University

AMA University

Motto	"Never Rest On One's Laurels"
Type	Private, for-profit studies
Established	October 15, 1980
President	Amable Aguiluz IX
Undergraduates	Approx. 150,000 (entire AMA Education System)
Address	Villa Arca, Project 8 , Quezon City , Metro Manila , Philippines
Hymn	The AMA Hymn
Colors	Crimson red █ and white █
Nickname	The AMA Titans
Affiliations	NAASCU, Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU)
Website	www.ama.edu.ph www.amaes.edu.ph

AMA Computer University, using the trade name AMA University, is the first ICT university in the Philippines and in Asia. The university serves as the flagship brand of the AMA Education System (AMAES).

AMA University is located in Maximina Street, Villa Arca Subdivision, Project 8, Quezon City, Philippines. It specializes in electronic, information, and communication technologies. It follows a trimestral calendar where a typical four year collegiate education program under a semestral calendar is completed in 3 years.

History

AMA Institute of Computer Studies

AMA University and its sister school AMA Computer College (AMACC) were founded by Dr. Amable R. Aguiluz V, who named them after the initials of his father's name, Amable Mendoza Aguiluz, Sr. Dr. Aguiluz saw the demand for fully trained computer professionals in the country. However, no institution in the country offered computer education to professionals.

Aguiluz founded the AMA Institute of Computer Studies with the first computer school located along Shaw Boulevard on October 20, 1980. At that time, AMA Institute of Computer Studies offered only short-term courses in Electronic Data Processing Fundamentals, Basic Programming, and Technology Career. Three student enrolled at the AMA Institute of Computer Studies during the first semester.

AMA Computer College, branches and sister schools

University Entrance gate in Quezon City

AMA Computer College came into existence in June 1980. It extended its services through a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. With only a handful of students in its first year of operation, the AMACC student population rose dramatically from 600 in 1983 to 2,000 in 1985 in its first official campus in Makati City. Shortly after, it established its main campus in Quezon City. Two provincial campuses were then founded in Cebu and Davao City.

With the passage of the Philippine Republic Act No. 7722 or the Higher Education Act of 1994, privately controlled educational institutions' academic fees were deregulated. AMA increased tuition fees then solved the problem of low student population by embarking on a marketing, advertising and information campaign.

The emergence of AMACC led to the birth of AMA Computer Learning Center (ACLC) in 1986 and AMA Telecommunication & Electronic Learning Center in 1996. The former offers short-course programs for professionals and two-year technical/vocational courses for those who wish to acquire employment skills. The latter is one of the first schools in the Philippines to concentrate on telecommunication, electronics, and related technologies.

It was the first school in the country to fully integrate the Internet into its curriculum. Since 1987, all major AMA colleges have been interconnected through a local area network (LAN), which converted them into one nationwide school system.

In 1991, Aguiluz gained accreditation for AMA Computer College in the American League of Colleges and Universities (ALOCU), thus, making AMA the first Filipino and non-American school to do so. AMACC became an official member of the John F. Kennedy Educational Institute in Japan. AMACC is accredited by the National Computing Centre United Kingdom.

Elevation to university

AMACU's Quality Management System has been ISO 9001-certified since March 1999 by Société Générale de Surveillance International Certification Services Canada, Inc.

AMA Computer College of Quezon City became AMA Computer University following the conferment of university status by the Philippine government's Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on August 20, 2002.

In 2003, AMA Computer University inked a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University's iCarnegie to use its curriculum and courses through e-learning. Previously, ICarnegie had approached STI for the agreement, but opted to stick with AMACU instead. As stated by iCarnegie President and CEO Allan Fisher, "the academic relationship between STI and iCarnegie went well, the business side of the agreement did not go as planned".

12 years after its elevation as university, AMA tapped Hewlett-Packard Philippines for the development and implementation of software testing academic subjects of its Information Technology degree course.

Other AMA Computer College campuses

The Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) did not accredit other AMA campuses to use the title "University" and only permitted to use the title of "College" or "Institute" as these campuses have not met the requirements needed by the Philippine academic regulatory body.

In 2003, AMA Education system brokered a partnership with the government of Bahrain to establish the AMA International University in Manama.

AMA University Online Education

AMA University, the Asia's first and largest network of Schools and Universities has finally launched the very first and only full online platform offering full degree programs in the Philippines. As a dominant provider of holistic, relevant, and quality IT-based education, AMA University Online Education aims to educate every Filipino and anyone in the world who needs access to education in any region, in different timezone hence producing professionals and leaders that will be responsive to the developments of technology and the international community.

With two of the flagship which AMA University is known for and has pioneered also in the Philippines, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, these CHEd and Level 3 PACUCOA Accredited Programs are now accessible without the hassle of flying to the Philippines or going to school. The advancement of technology opened AMA an opportunity to provide access and finish a degree through smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop making it very convenient for every student to learn and master lectures at their own pace, through their own ways.

Every trimester in AMA University Online lasts for 14 weeks (eq. to approx. 3 months) but with no definite start date. Which means once enrolled, the student may start right away and finish the degree within a 14-week duration. The student will no longer be late as they could access the lessons and even take assessments on their most convenient time, at their most convenient place.

With the overwhelming response of the Philippines market especially by the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), AMA University Online Education has partnered with the world's leading content and training providers such as Lynda.com (a Linkedin Company), McGraw Hill Education, Microsoft Virtual Academy, among others.

Athletic programs

In 2000, AMA joined the National Capital Region Athletic Association as it failed to garner support in joining the NCAA. In 2001, AMA joined the newly created National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU). The AMACU Titans had a rocky start but in 2006, they beat their corporate rivals, the STI Olympians and became the 2006 NAASCU Champions. It participates in the Collegiate Champions League, composed of top ranked varsity teams in the Philippines.

Dataline

Dataline, the official student publication of the university, has an office on the 2nd floor of the college building, releasing an issue each term. It is one of the two official student organizations of the university, the other being the Student Council (SC).

Some issues about AMA Education System

ILOVEYOU virus

In 1999, AMA Computer College Makati student Onel de Guzman submitted a thesis proposal for the creation of a computer program that will hack into computer systems and extract vital information, particularly Internet Service accounts. The proposal was unanimously rejected by the College of Computer Studies' academic board. De Guzman was scheduled to complete his studies in 2000 and an academic subject called "Thesis A" was one of his final requirements before graduation.

After commencement day on 3 May 2000, an e-mail trojan called "ILOVEYOU" spread internationally and caused delays in several online transactions. The ILOVEYOU virus unleashed a flood of e-mail that hit at least 45 million users in at least 20 countries according to one estimate. The virus started with "ILOVEYOU" in the subject line, but several variations appeared soon afterward, including one masquerading as an e-mail joke and another as a receipt for a Mother's Day gift. The virus both replicates itself and steals the user names and passwords of unsuspecting victims. The e-mail replies from angry virus recipients to the creator passed through the United States e-mail address "isp-adm@mail.com", which then forwarded them to the two Access.Net (Philippine Internet Service Provider) e-mail accounts used by the virus creator - "spyder@super.net.ph" and "mailme@super.net.ph".

According to Guinness World Records, the ILOVEYOU virus was the fastest-spreading computer worm until the release of Mydoom in 2004. The virus was traced to an apartment room in downtown Manila where De Guzman was residing. De Guzman was invited by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for questioning, and in an interview, admitted spreading the virus "by accident". In response, AMA expelled de Guzman from AMA Makati and considered him a "drop out" for life. The NBI charged De Guzman for violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act oF 1998. However, due to lack of sufficiency, the justice ministry dropped the charges as there was no clear legislation regulating the Internet. As a result of the incident, President Joseph Ejercito Estrada signed into law Republic Act 8792, known as the Philippine Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 on 14 June 2000,

Political affiliations

Amable Aguiluz V was Joseph Estrada's political endorser in the 1998 Presidential elections. AMA was the first educational institution to award Joseph Estrada with a degree of Doctor of Humanities honoris causa. Aguiluz used the AMA campuses in various political rallies and forced students to attend as part of their academic attendance record. In 1998, Estrada appointed Aguiluz as Presidential adviser on Information and Communication Technology and on 1999 as chairman of the Presidential Commission on Year 2000 Compliance. Aguiluz brought officials of AMA into the commission and many business leaders criticised the commission from being an extension of AMA. Aguiluz resigned from the Commission in November 1999 due to a controversial purchase of equipment by the commission from a subsidiary of the AMA Group of Companies.

In 2001, Aguiluz switched affiliations to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo because Estrada was jailed and Aguiluz was afraid to be handed the same fate. Aguiluz's father Amable Aguiluz Sr. was Diosdado Macapagal' s friend and Aguiluz Sr. served as Chairman and Auditor-general of the Commission on Audit in the 1960s. Arroyo was invited to AMA's sponsored political rallies. In 1995, Arroyo attended a political rally in AMA when she ran for re-election as senator. Arroyo attended all graduation rites for AMA from 2002 to 2005. Arroyo cited AMA for not participating in cause oriented and student activist groups. Arroyo appointed Aguiluz as Presidential Adviser for the Middle East.

AMA's survey regarding Hello Garci scandal

The 2005 Hello Garci scandal, also known as the 2004 Presidential election rigging controversy, is one of the controversies against the President Gloria Arroyo. AMA commissioned four related SWS national public opinion surveys dated October 22 and 27, 2005. These questions are:
1) The Congress and Senate are just wasting money and time in their investigations regarding jueteng and the Garci tapes, 2) The opposition does not have a clear plan for the country. Its only objective is to bring down the current administration, 3) Often, news on television, on radio and in newspapers are purely negative and are no longer helping the country, 4) In spite of the accusations being hurled against Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, she still continues to implement good reforms.
Many militant groups and opposition politicians questioned the survey questions. The results of the survey are:

• On the first test statement, about half (54%) of Filipinos agree, while a fifth (22%) disagree, and another fifth (20%) are undecided. The net agreement is +32, indicating moderate agreement;
• On the second test statement, 37% of Filipinos agree, while 28% disagree, and 31% are undecided. The net agreement is +9, indicating a split opinion;
• On the third test statement, 41% of Filipinos agree, while 29% disagree, and 28% are undecided. The net agreement is +12, indicating a slight agreement.
• On the last test statement, 37% of Filipinos agree, 34% disagree, and 26% are undecided. The net agreement (% agree minus % disagree) is +3, indicating a split opinion.

Labor issues

High school principal termination case

On January 23, 2007, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the National Labor Relations Commission declaring as illegal the termination of Zenaida Garay, a high school principal.

Garay was promoted as high school principal May 13, 1996 but an incident four days later led to her illegal dismissal by AMA. An AMA cashier, Sarah Pechardo, carried a brown envelope containing PhP 47,299.34 to the comfort room of the high school. While inside, she placed the envelope on top of the (toilet bowl) tank. After she left the room, she realized the envelope was left behind, hence she returned to the comfort room, but the envelope was already gone. Pechardo reported the incident to Carmelita Condenuevo, AMA area director, and told her that the only person she recalled entering the comfort room after her was Garay. Condenuevo immediately ordered the investigation of Pechardo and Garay. Garay was subjected to physical inspection and her office was searched. But the school officers did not find the envelope. Thereafter, Garay was brought to the barangay office and the incident was entered in its blotter. On May 20, 1996, she was preventively suspended.

School officials served Garay several notices to appear during the hearings and to submit her written explanation. Garay complied but the hearings were always cancelled. On June 19, 1996, AMA terminated Garay’s employment effective June 20, 1996 on the ground of loss of trust and confidence. On June 21, 1996, school officials sent her another notice directing her to appear on the June 27, 1996 hearing and to submit a written explanation. The hearing was, again, cancelled. On July 1, 1996, AMA finally terminated Garay’s employment.

On August 14, 1996, Garay filed a complaint for illegal dismissal. On September 14, 1998, NLRC Labor Arbiter Eduardo Carpio rendered judgment finding that Garay’s employment was terminated on mere suspicion. He ruled that there was no material and direct evidence to show that Garay took the collections. According to him, while AMA conducted a lengthy investigation to comply with the due process requirement, there was no evidence that established Garay’s guilt during this investigation. NLRC ordered AMA to immediately reinstate her to her former or substantially equal position and pay her backwages computed in the amount of P300,000.00 (July 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998 = 30 months. P10,000.00 x 30 months = P300,000.00), moral damages of PhP 100,000.00 and exemplary damages of PhP 50,000.00.

AMA appealed to the NLRC. NLRC affirmed February 11, 2000 their decision, with the modification that the backwages shall include 13th month pay and five days’ service incentive leave pay. AMA elevated the case to the Court of Appeals, which denied their petition for certiorari and their motion for reconsideration January 16, 2004. AMA then filed the instant petition before the Supreme Court for review. The Supreme Court denied the petition for lack of merit.

Student dismissal case

On November 10, 2004, Judge Wenceslao Ibabao of the Regional Trial Court dismissed the case against 48 students and granted the students' motion to discontinue the proceedings after getting assurance from the school administration that they can continue with their studies. The students were ordered dismissed by school management October 4, 2004 for holding a protest rally in front of the school.

The students were dismissed from the school by area director Fortunato Enghog Jr., school director Ernesto Raphael Robillo and the school's disciplinary board after they held a protest rally in front of the school campus without the necessary permit. They said that the dismissal of the students was based on a resolution dated October 9 issued by Student Disciplinary Tribunal, which states that holding of rallies or any related activities without the necessary permit from an authorized school officer is a major offense that merits dismissal as provided for in the student handbook.

The students filed a 13-page civil suit with damages against the school for illegally dismissing them without factual basis. They also claimed their dismissal was null and void and violates their freedom of expression as enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. They said they held the rally to show support for the preventive suspension of several regular teachers, the implementation of the webcast teaching system and other unresolved issues regarding miscellaneous fees.

Ibabao issued a 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) dated October 21 against the dismissal of the 48 students in order for them to protect their right to education and freedom of speech. Ibabao then issued an order to police authorities to accompany the dismissed students in going back to school.

AMA yields Php 10 Million pirated software

On September 20, 2011, The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided one of the country’s top computer schools, AMA Computer College, and seized some P10 million worth of pirated software installed in its computer sets Tuesday in Manila.

Head Agent Rommel Vallejo, NBI-Intellectual Property Rights Division (NBI-IPRD) chief, told reporters that agents swooped down on AMA’s branch at 5486 South Superhighway following the complaint of Autodesk Systems, Inc., distributors of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CS2, Adobe Premier CS2, Adobe ReaderX, Adobe Premier Pro 2.0, and Macromedia Dreamweaver.

Autodesk Systems lawyers had complained that AMA was using pirated software.

Armed with a search warrant, NBI agents raided Laboratory No. 3 and 4 at the second floor and Laboratory No. 5 at the third floor of the AMA Computer College branch and found 59 computer sets loaded with pirated software. The 59 computers with pirated software were seized and taken to the NBI headquarters on Taft Avenue, Manila.

Learning from the said mistake, the institution now prides itself as a 100% legal software user and has even established partnership with some of the biggest software developers in the world.

Daniel Padilla PBA D-League issue

Daniel Padilla, a local actor, signed as AMA University's fifth advertisement endorser. AMA then joined as an expansion basketball team to the 2014-2015 season of the PBA Developmental League and Padilla was selected by AMA as its final round draft pick. Many spectators in the draft event at the PBA head office in Libis, Quezon City were surprised with the selection as Padilla was not part of the 153 players who submitted their application for the draft. AMA invoked its right as a school-based team to sign a player who hasn't applied for the draft.

Padilla's professional handler, ABS-CBN's Star Magic denied reports Padilla was allowed to join the league and it was done without their prior knowledge. AMA claimed that Padilla was enrolled by the university as a freshman for the course Information Technology. Padilla responded to news reporters and stated that it was much of his surprise that he was drafted without his prior knowledge and declined to join the basketball league.

Academic units

Graduation ceremony in Quezon City

Undergraduate programs

• College of Computer Studies
• College of Engineering
• College of Business Administration and Accountancy
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Education

Basic education programs

AMA Computer University also has pre-school, elementary, and high school programs under the brand St. Augustine International School.

AMA Computer University Town

AMA University Town

Ground Breaking of AMA University Cavite
Location	General Trias, Cavite, Philippines
Coordinates	14° 17' 2.076"N, 120° 54' 42.84" E
Owner	AMA Group of Companies
Operator	AMA Computer University
Construction
Broke ground	September 13, 2013
Built	September 13, 2013 to March 31, 2016 (expected)
Opened	May 23, 2016 (2016-05-23) (expected)
General contractor	Picar Development
Website
http://www.aravista.com/

The AMA Education Group is planning a campus named University Town. Expected to be completed in celebration of its 35th year, the AMA Computer University Town is a 50-hectare property in Ara Vista Village in General Trias, Cavite It draws its inspiration from old universities in the western world that spurred rapid development in the Host Township.

The University Town will serve as another type of multi-use development, a primary institutional complex in a park-like setting. A network of open space and walkable distances from once destination to the other is laid out to encourage users to walk instead of using vehicles.

Sister schools

The AMA Education system has sister schools. Unlike the Quezon City campus, whose land is wholly owned, some of the campuses are on rented real estate. The campuses are overseen and monitored by government departments, such Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Maritime and Naval Agency (MARINA), for Norwegian Maritime Institute. Student population mainly determine the longevity of the campuses. Only the main campus of AMA, in Project 8, is accredited with a University status; all else are under study for proper accreditation.

Pursuant to TESDA compliance, the school offers ladderized education as well, a program that allows vocational students to pursue college easily, having their previous vocational course merits credited into their college curriculum.

• AMA Computer College are educational institutions across the Philippines that offer the same programs as AMACU. The campuses in Caloocan, East Rizal, Makati, Las Piñas, Malolos, Biñan, Pasig, Bacolod, Fairview, Capiz, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao are among these.
• AMA International University is a partnership between the Kingdom of Bahrain and AMA Education System serving AMA's ICT programs in the Arab Region.
• AMA Computer Learning Center (ACLC) are educational institutions across the Philippines that has a similar structure as AMA Computer College but only offer short Information Technology-related programs. These programs range from Certificate (3-month), Diploma (1 year) to Associate (2-years). It uses a semestral (5-month) academic calendar.
• St. Augustine School of Nursing are educational institutions across the Philippines that has a similar structure as AMA Computer Learning Center but only offer short Medical-related programs like caregiver course.
• ABE International Business College are educational institutions across the Philippines that has a similar structure as AMA Computer Learning Center but only offers short business-related programs like e-Commerce Management.
• AMA International Institute of Technology are educational institutions that have a similar structure as AMA Computer Learning Center but only offers short technology-related programs like radio technician course. Formerly AMA Telecommunication & Electronic Learning Center, it is located in EDSA, Cubao, Quezon City.
• Norwegian Maritime Academy are educational institutions across the Philippines that offer the same programs as AMACU. It focuses only in Maritime-related courses like Marine Engineering.
• AMA School Of Medicine are educational institutions across the Philippines that offers the same programs as AMACU but is under study for accreditation or recognition by the Commission on Higher Education. It focuses in Medical-related courses like Nursing. The Doctor of Medicine or MD course is offered in the Makati Campus of AMA. This is an intensive 4-year course which has been operational since 2008.
• St. Augustine International (Satellite) School are educational institutions across the Philippines that offer pre-school, elementary, and high school programs but is housed outside AMACU. The institution also claims utilization of the GEMS program for their Math curriculum.
• Delta Air International Aviation Academy is an educational institution that offer studies in aviation. Its campus is located in the Old MIA Road in Parañaque and flight training area is located in Plaridel, Bulacan.

Notable alumni

• Mujiv Hataman – Governor of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 2011–present (Computer Engineering Batch 1994)
• Chito Jaime – PBA Player - San Miguel Beermen
• Priscilla Navidad – Big Brother housemate/Bb. Pilipinas Candidate/Ms. NAASCU 2009/model
• Karen Loren Agustin – Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2002
• Rainier Castillo – as freshman before joining Starstruck
• Teddy Corpuz – Rocksteddy's vocalist
• Onel de Guzman – computer programmer and hacker
• Jolina Magdangal – actress
• Stacy de Jesus – Social Media Head, Rappler
• Richie D. Cuadra – City councilor (1st District - Valenzuela City)
• Candy Medina – City councilor
• Ramil M. Santos – AXE Apollo Space Academy 2013 Filipino Astronaut Candidate

See also

• Asian Institute of Computer Studies

External links

• Official website
• AMA Education System official website.
• AMA Education System Alumni Association Inc.
• St. Augustine International School (formerly AMA Elementary and High School)
• AMA Delta Air International Aviation Academy