St. Joseph's Academy is the premiere high school of Malinao, Aklan,
in the hinterlands of Panay. It was established in 1947 by the parish of St. Joseph to serve the emerging and
progressive municipality. Among its graduates are many professionals including doctors, nurses, priests, lawyers, educators, politicians and other skilled workers now working around the world.
October 6, 1945 was the victory celebration. General Douglas MacArthur has returned and liberated the Philippines from the Japanese Imperial forces.
After the Second World War, a meeting of prominent people of Malinao was called in the Parish convent where the now Msgr. Jose Insauriga announced the creation of a Catholic high school and solicited their support. He pointed out the many advantages of having a Catholic school where children could be taught their Catholic faith, first and foremost. Then he pointed out the economic advantage of having a high school in town (parents would no longer send their children to Kalibo or elsewhere), and that the children will be closely supervised as many of them are still in their teens.
The following attended the first meeting: Fr. Insauriga, Epifanio Imperial, Juan Igual, Epimaco Ilejay, Eustaquio Villanueva, Simeon Ildesa, Angeles Ibardolasa, Jorge Rapiz, Agustin Irapta and Restituto Inserto. These were the founding fathers of the St. Joseph's Academy.
Finding teachers was quite difficult as teachers were hesitant to teach at the start-up school. Mr. Juan Igual asked Mrs. Concepcion Yatar to be the principal teacher. Another teacher, a Mrs. Dalida who was also a Malinaonon was approached. Then, Mr. Jose Iledan who was teaching in Negros, and a Mr. Montero from Kalibo, accepted the offer. Four of them were the members of the faculty during the first year. There were 180 students enrolled in three classes (first, second and third year) during the first year of SJA's existence.
The most important requirement in order to be able to get a government permit was having a library and laboratory equipment. The founders were able to accomplish these requirements right at the beginning of school year 1948-1949. And with the arrival of hundreds of volumes from the Malinao improvement Society in America (courtesy of Mr. Jose Arias), the library of St. Joseph's Academy, became the seond largest library in Aklan next to Aklan College's.
It was already the month of December 1948 when the government permit was received. In this school year, SJA did not have a commencement exercise since the enrolment was only up to third year. The subsequent enrollment in the next years increased so the founders were obliged to make plans to put up a two story building.
In 1953, Msgr. Jose Insauriga, Juan Igual and Msgr. Salvador Mabasa with the help of the late Assemblyman Toting Reyes were able to bring home the governbment recognition of St. Joseph's Academy.
