A Tribute to DR. TRANQUILINO VALENTINO S. SITOY JR -Negros UCCP Historian

 A Tribute to Dr. Tranquilino Valentino S. Sitoy Jr.

Brilliant Mind, Humble Spirit, Eternal Mentor

There are rare individuals whose lives seem to hold the light of many worlds—scholar, servant, teacher, theologian, historian, mentor, friend. Dr. Tranquilino Valentino S. Sitoy Jr. was such a soul, a luminary whose wisdom, humility, and humanity shaped generations across nations, disciplines, and faiths. His passing is not just the loss of an extraordinary educator, but the quiet fading of a constellation that once lit the minds and hearts of many.

Dr. Sitoy's academic and ecclesial achievements are monumental, almost too vast to recount fully. A 2002 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Teacher of the Philippines (College Division) awardee, he was a name synonymous with excellence. He served as Adjunct Professor at Silliman University, Dean of the Silliman University Divinity School (1975–1986), Graduate School Dean, and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Negros Oriental State University—where I had the immense privilege of sitting in his class. For two unforgettable years, he was not only my professor in History but my model of what it means to be a thinking, feeling, human being.

He was a visiting professor and scholar in prestigious institutions around the world: Trinity Theological College in Singapore, Calvin College and Theological Seminary in Seoul, Union Theological Seminary in New York, International Christian University in Tokyo, and the Parkin-Wesley Theological College in Adelaide. And yet, despite all these towering credentials and global accomplishments, he was incredibly down to earth—approachable, gracious, and genuinely invested in the growth of his students.

His teachings were never just lectures—they were experiences. When he spoke of reformers and revolutions, or the quiet resilience of faith communities, he breathed life into the past. His lecture on "The Role of Women Reformers and the Relevance of the Reformation Today," delivered during the series "Revisiting the Past, Reframing the Future," captured not only the soul of history but also the strength of his own convictions: that history is not just a record of what was, but a mirror for what could be.

He authored deeply significant works such as “Several Springs, One Stream,” chronicling the formative decades of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), and contributed to the Hugkat journal—his legacy forever etched in the written word, in church history, and in the lives of those he mentored.

A Peace Hero Awardee  during the Centennial Celebration of Negros Oriental.
A Church Historian and pillar of the UCCP.
A member of the Dumaguete City Heritage Council.
A teacher of teachers, a scholar of scholars, and for me—a mentor and guiding light.

To sit in Dr. Sitoy’s class was to be humbled by the depths of his knowledge and moved by the compassion of his soul. He didn't just teach history—he made you fall in love with it. He gave you tools to question, to connect, to care. Even in silence, he mentored through presence, grace, and a spirit of quiet service. 

His absence now leaves a silence too heavy for words. I have lost not just a professor, but a compass. A mentor who believed in the power of the past to change the present. A gentle giant who taught with integrity, lived with humility, and inspired with love.

Rest now, Dr. Sitoy, in the peace you so often preached and so deeply embodied. You taught us that the world is vast, but that in service, scholarship, and sincerity, we find the ties that bind us to one another. You may no longer walk among us, but your words, your wisdom, your example—these will continue to guide us. 

You were more than outstanding.
You were transformative.
And we, your students, are forever better because of you.

Thank you, Sir. Thank you, Dr. Sitoy. You will always be remembered.

Prof. Penn T. Larena,CPS,MPA

MA-History Student

          Negros Oriental State University