Education and the spread of democratic ideals had been two of the many legacies that the United States has brought to the Filipino people. The advent of the American Thomasites in August of 1901 was instrumental in the introduction of the new era of public education in the archipelago. Motivated by the highest ideals with utmost desire to assist in building a new nation in this part of the world and a thousand young American men and women, who were trained and educated in some of the best academes in the United States, established a modern public school system which undoubtedly has contributed remarkable impact on the lives of the greatest number of Filipinos.

The Parish of San Diego de Alcala was established in 1582 in its present site and was transferred to Silangan in the island of Alabat in 1638. It was burned by Dutch invaders in 1665 and reconstructed at its present site in 1846. It is bounded at the southeast by the municipality of Lopez, at the south by the sea, and at the northeast by the municipality of Plaridel, formerly a barrio of Atimonan. The first parish priest was either Fray Diego De Oropesa or Fray Esteban Ortiz of the Franciscan order.

The convent and church of San Francisco de Asis in Intramuros were razed to the ground during the liberation of Manila in 1945. Instead of rebuilding at the same location, the Franciscans decided to construct a new church elsewhere.

On July 17, 1951, a contract was signed between the Franciscans and the Ayala Corporation, which agreed to donate two hectares of land at Forbes Park, Makati, Rizal, on which the Franciscans committed to construct a church and convent (California Mission-style).

The San Agustin Church, in Intramuros, marks this year the 400th anniversary of its construction. Finished in 1604, it becomes the oldest stone church in the Philippines.

The history of San Agustin dates back to 1570, year in which Legazpi founded Manila and the Augustinian fathers built the first temporary church with thatch and bamboo on the land donated to them by Legazpi himself. Three other churches were built and destroyed by fire. In 1586 the Augustinians, triggered by the new technique of stone cutting and lime and sand mixing, imported by Jesuit Antonio Sedeno, approved a resolution to construct a new church entirely of hewn stone.