18/12/2025
DAVAO CITY โ In a significant leap for legal education in Southern Philippines, officials and dignitaries gathered last December 17, 2025 (Wednesday) for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the future Justice Leopoldo M. Abellera Building at the Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. (RMC).
The event, led by RMC Board Director Leo Tereso A. Magno, marked the start of construction for a dedicated facility poised to become a hub for aspiring lawyers and graduate students. The five-storey structure, which includes a lower ground floor, is projected for completion by 2029.
Designed to house 26 lecture rooms, the building will primarily serve the growing Graduate School and the RMC- School of Law, addressing the increasing demand for quality legal education in the region.
The ceremony underscored a strong collaborative spirit within the legal community. Distinguished guests included Legal Education Board (LEB) Commissioner Lorenzo Reyes, Executive Judge Rowena Adlawan of the Regional Trial Court, and the deans of prominent law schools: Dean Manuel Quibod of Ateneo de Davao College of Law and Dean Arlene M. Lorejo-Cosape of the University of Southeastern Philippines College of Law. Land Transportation Office Regional Director Ernesto Rubillo also joined the event.
A substantial delegation of law faculty members from Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. attended, underscoring the academic community's commitment to the project's future.
Director Magno, addressing the attendees, emphasized the building's role in shaping future legal minds. This structure is more than concrete and steel; it is a foundation for justice, integrity, and excellence in the legal profession, proudly rising under the banner of Rizal Memorial Colleges.
The building is named in honor of the late Justice Leopoldo M. Abellera, a respected jurist, to pay tribute to his legacy of service to the law.
With construction now officially underway, the Justice Leopoldo M. Abellera Building stands as a tangible commitment by Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. to advancing legal scholarship and producing competent legal professionals for Mindanao and beyond.
Writer: Lady Lou C. Pido
Layout Artist: Rizia Jahziel V. Perez