The very existence of St. Anthony's College was born from his radical faith and extraordinary courage as a man: Rev. Fr. Gerry Filippetto, OFM.(1920-1991).

His legacy is woven into the fabric of our institution, defining our purpose as an evangelizing arm of the Church and a beacon of hope in the farthest north of the archipelago.
Fr. Gerry's journey was marked by a fierce commitment to the Franciscan calling, tested by global turmoil. Having volunteered for the mission in China, he faced persecution and imprisonment during the Communist Regime. His subsequent expulsion in 1951 did not end his vocation; it merely redirected it. Fr. Gerry carried his missionary heart, purified by suffering, to the Philippines. He and his confreres generously accepted the invitation to serve the vast, priest-deprived territory in the northeastern tip of the Diocese of Tuguegarao, embracing the mission in Buguey, Sta. Teresita, Gonzaga, and ultimately, Sta. Ana.
Fr. Gerry understood that lasting evangelization requires education and dedicated religious support. His vision established not one, but two enduring Catholic institutions. Recognizing the need for permanent evangelizing partners, he organized volunteer women, the Legionaries of Mary, into a new religious community in 1953. These pioneering members, living the spirit of the Third Order Rule of St. Francis, became the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters (FAS)—auxiliaries for the preservation of faith in the region. The evolution of the FAS to a Religious Institute of Pontifical Right is the crowning realization of his initial charism.
Starting with St. Anthony's Academy in Sta. Ana, Fr. Gerry established education as the primary vehicle for achieving the basic Christian message: "LOVE GOD, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR."
He oversaw the institution’s expansion, from its start as a secondary school to the opening of the Elementary Department and the establishment of the College Department in 1968.
Fr. Gerry’s life work is encapsulated in the continuous mission of St. Anthony's College: He laid the foundation for an education focused on "growing in Age, in Wisdom, and in Grace," ensuring students are equipped for intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual formation. His Franciscan spirit of practical service is reflected today in the College's dedication to "serve the community," adapting its curriculum to meet contemporary needs—from advanced academic course offerings to essential short courses under TESDA.
The mission he started remains uncompromisingly Christ-centered, ensuring that Anthonians are always equipped with a solid Christian formation to make responsible decisions amidst the contradicting options of the present times.
Fr. Gerry Filippetto’s legacy is the continuity of the mission: a commitment to quality, faith-based education sustained by the dedicated Franciscan Apostolic Sisters and their mission partners, forever anchoring St. Anthony's College as a fortress of faith and learning in Northern Cagayan.