Historical Development

St. Mary’s Academy of Carmen, formerly Cathedral School of Technology is a Filipino, Catholic, co-educational RVM school, located at Villarin Street, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

In 1963, Archbishop James T.G. Hayes SJ, DD, the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, founded the school to answer the need for Catholic education intended for middle class and poor families in the Archdiocese. Hence, in the school year 1963-1964, the Cathedral High School (CHS), under the administration of the RVM sisters was established, initially offering first and second year high school with an enrolment of 498 students.

In June 1963, S. Ma. Rosario Cariño, RVM was assigned as the first principal of Cathedral High School (CHS) with S. Ma. Diosdada C. Loquellano, RVM, as her companion. S. Ma. Virginia Bañez, RVM, was then the superior of Lourdes College to which the CHS community was affiliated. In June 1964, S. Ma. Diosdada C. Loquellano, RVM, succeeded S. Ma. Rosario Cariño, RVM.

During the first two years (SY 1963-1965), the students were lodged in Liceo de Cagayan through the generosity of Atty. Rodolfo “Ruding” Pelaez, the owner of the school; within those two years, the school carried the name Liceo de Cagayan High School. Classes were held in the morning, while Liceo College students had theirs in the afternoon and evening.

The RVM sisters were compelled to build a four-storey concrete building along Villarin St. when the enrolment increased to 997 students from the first year to fourth year levels. The school has an area of 54, 266 sq.m. near the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish Church and a walking distance from J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital.

S. Ma. Celestina T. Viernes, RVM, became the School Head from 1968-1970 and was succeeded by S. Ma. Reinalda A. Sison, RVM, in 1970-71. The following school year, S. Ma. Diosdada C. Loquellano, RVM was re-assigned as the School Head for six (6) years from 1971 to 1977.

The school had grown progressive and stable in time as an educational institution, so that in 1975, the institution offered a two-year Agricultural Technology course in response to the current and emerging need of our country in the field of Agriculture. This led to change of its name from Cathedral High School to Cathedral School of Technology in 1977. S. Ma. Rita L. Gue, RVM, was the School Head at that time until 1983 and was succeeded by S. Ma. Athanasia C. Daga, RVM, for 2 years until 1985. The school continued to shine through the leadership of S. Ma. Domitilla P. Enriquez, RVM, until 1987.

SY 1987-1988, the school has a new administrator in the person of S. Ma. Jacinta Chavez, RVM, as Superior/Directress and during her leadership, the school became a recipient of a government sponsored scholastic program. After her term, S. Ma. Apolinaria R. Tambien, RVM, took her place as Directress/Principal of the school until 1990.

The prospect for expansion as a technology school was seen when the school acquired a farm lot of 36 hectares in Bulao, Iponan of this city. A one-classroom building was constructed in 1991 for the exposure and practicum of the Agricultural Technology students.

Since SY 1989 up to the present, the school entered into partnership with the Department of Education with its thrust that education is for all (EFA) through the GASTPE. SMA Carmen is one of the beneficiaries of the Fund Assistance for Private Education (FAPE) and most of the Junior High School students are recipients of the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) program. Through the ESC program, many students were able to have access to the SMA Carmen until they finish high school.

This strengthened the bonds of unity and cooperation between SMA Carmen and the public schools.

Poor but deserving students also benefited the school’s full scholarship grants for the poor under the Mother Ignacia Scholarship Program.

Two-year Computer Secretarial major in Office Management was offered in School Year 1994-1995. This milestone was realized under the leadership of S. Ma. Virginia C. Omadlao, RVM, who was the Directress-Principal from 1990-1997.

In School Year 1991-1992, the High School department went into self-survey for PAASCU accreditation to upgrade the standards of the school for quality education. The school’s endeavor for quality education through PAASCU accreditation is in consonance with the vision of Philippines 2000.

On October 30-31, 1995, a PAASCU team of six members made a preliminary visit to the school. In February of SY 1995-1996, the team recommended that the school is eligible for a formal survey in the following school year. The PAASCU Formal Survey Team visited the school in October 20-21, 1997 and given the School a Level I accreditation for three years (1998-2001).

School Year 1998-1999, the RVM Technical Training Program (RVM TTP) from Lourdes College, Cagayan de Oro City, was transferred to Cathedral School of Technology (CST) since the latter’s program was focused on technological courses. Part of the school canteen was made into temporary shops and office of the RVM TTP staff. The organizational plan of the tech-voc program was done with an agreement that it will be under the School Head of SMA Carmen.

Through the leadership of S. Ma. Evangeline J. Dorol, RVM, from 1997 to 2002, the school has attained significant achievements. In September 12, 1999, Cathedral School of Technology was renamed to St. Mary’s Academy of Carmen. The renaming was made in response to the RVM Congregational mandate of renaming all RVM schools to St. Mary’s as an act of thanksgiving for the Jubilee Year in honor of the RVM Congregation’s patroness and for stronger bonding of the forty nine (49) RVM owned and managed schools, six (6) RVM administered Diocesan schools and seven (7) overseas mission formal schools.

In School Year 2000-2001, after more than 200 days of construction, the SMA community proudly announced the completion of the new St. Mary’s Academy of Carmen Gymnasium last January 15, 2000. It was followed by preparations for its occupancy and blessing which was officiated by Msgr. Rodolfo Roa, SSJV. The blessing took place in February 29, 2000. The SMAC gym had been very useful for student activities, which helped promote holistic development of the students. During that school year, the school building was re-painted as well as the construction of the covered walk which was done in August 2000 from the main school building to the gym.

In February 5-6, 2001, the school had the PAASCU Formal Visit for its Level II accreditation. The school was granted Level II accreditation for five years (2002-2006) under the administration of S. Ma. Fe M. Saluta, RVM.

The PAASCU resurvey/visit was done in February 13-14, 2006 and SMA Carmen was able to maintain its Level II re-accredited status for another five (5) years.

On July 3, 2007, a Government Recognition for Pre-School was granted by the Department of Education (DepEd).

S. Ma. Rachel B. Bernardo, RVM, assumed the office as Regional Superintendent of the RVM schools in Northern Mindanao and Directress-Principal from 2004 to 2009. She also assisted in establishing a school for Kindergarten in St. Mary’s Academy of Iponan and became an affiliate of SMA Carmen.

In April 2009, after receiving a clean five-year accreditation, SMA Carmen applied for PAASCU Level III status and indeed, it was granted on that same year. Likewise, in SY 2009-2010, Department of Education granted the Government Recognition for Elementary Course (Grades I–VI).

S. Ma. Lilibeth E. Monteclaro, RVM, then succeeded as Directress/Principal for two (2) years from 2009 to 2011.

From school year 2011-2016, within this five-year (5) period, S. Ma. Anecita C. Navaja, RVM, assumed the office as Northern Mindanao RVM Schools Regional Superintendent and Directress-Principal of SMA Carmen.

In February 2-3, 2012, the High School Department underwent its PAASCU Level III revisit. It was granted a clean re-accredited Level III status for five years (2013-2017).

Throughout her fifty golden years of emulating/bringing Ignacian Marian transformative Catholic Education in nurturing faith, building excellence and developing service, SMA Carmen proudly celebrated one of her milestones, the 50^th Year (Golden Jubilee) Foundation Anniversary on October 24-26, 2013. During this grand celebration, the former Administrators, RVM Sisters, students, alumni, and parents/guardians together with the Church leaders, Department of Education and local officials met together and jofully celebrated the event. Alumni from near and far also came and joined the celebration. From this milleau, SMA Carmen is proud to have produced graduates who are now successful in their respective fields of endeavor, emulating Christian dignity and integrity in their service to the community and to the nation. The whole golden story-event of SMA Carmen was captured and printed in a souvenir yearbook.

It was during the term of S. Ma. Anecita C. Navaja, RVM, that the physical plant and facilities underwent major renovation and changes in order to meet the emerging needs of the academic community and after the lesson learnt from the strong typhoon ‘Sendong’ that devastated Cagayan de Oro City in December 16, 2011. The former Chapel at the ground floor became the Faculty Room and it was done in June 13, 2012. The Computer and Speech laboratories were transferred to the second level of the OL Assumption Building (done: August 8, 2012), and the entire roofs of the two buildings: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Our Lady of the Assumptions were re-enforced and re-roofed (done: Feb.01, 2013). To provide space and more computer units for the encoding and recording of grades, the encoding room was transferred to a new location near the Registrar’s Office. The Cebedo Construction Company started the work on May 25, 2014 and was finished on July 11, 2014.

The need for the Grade School to have its own classrooms was realized on October 5, 2013, during the ground breaking ceremony that signified the start of the construction of a four storey building near the RVM Convent.

The structure was completed and turned over to the Administration by Cebedo Construction Company last August 25, 2014. It was blessed by the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Bernard Elvin Simene, SSJV, last September 12, 2014.

Aside from the classrooms, the building also housed the Science, Computer and Math Laboratories and the offices for the Guidance, Prefect of Students Discipline, Student Activity Coordinator and School Clinic.

Part of the CDO city government requirement particularly for institutions along a national road, is to augment the space in front of the school gate. Thus, the Gate 1 and the driveway were renovated in September 16, 2014 and was finished last October 29, 2014.

The need to provide space as waiting area for parents and guardians of the primary level was made possible through the joint project of the Administration and the GPTA. The contractor-builder was the Cebedo Construction Company. A new waiting area near the guard house was constructed last March 7, 2013 and was turned over and blessed last June 5, 2013.

In order to be internationally competitive, the Philippine government through the Department of Education (DepEd) introduced changes in the educational system. The K to 12 programs gradually replaced the former curriculum. The Senior High School (SHS) was introduced. From school year 2012 until 2014, preparations (profiling, re-structuring, etc.) were made to prepare the school for the additional program to be offered. After several orientations/campaigns to the parents, students and with the assistance of the RVM Education Ministry Commission and the Department of Education City Division Office, SMA Carmen received the permit to offer Senior High School (SHS) in School Year 2016-2017. The tracks/strands initially offered were the following:

1. Academic track with strands on ABM and GAS

2. Technical-Vocational track with strands on Home Economics and Industrial Arts

School Year 2016-2017

S. Ma. Adelaida C. Huiso, RVM took over as the school administrator. Last March 2-3, 2017, the High School Department underwent again its PAASCU Level III revisit and the result was given in May 2017 granted SMAC 5-year reaccreditation status valid from 2017 until 2022.

The first batch of Grade 12 (Senior High School) had their graduation ceremony last March 22, 2018 with more than a hundred of graduates. However, due to the decline of enrollees, the Administration decided not to offer Senior High School program from school year 2018-2019. There were only more than thirty Grade 12 students graduated in March 2019.

The contemporary educational culture necessitates that as a Catholic and RVM School in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, SMA Carmen conveys values and principles to the youth of today which should not stop only at achievement of personal growth and psycho-spiritual and social maturity but contributes for the common good of society. Thus, SMA Carmen will confidently move on in its evangelizing-teaching apostolate perceiving the hand of God in the different events and endeavors it undertakes with the educational thrusts towards Quality Transformative Ignacian Marian Education which encompasses inclusive education that promotes and respects diversity in all aspects of life especially the disadvantaged sectors of society.

From this perspective, committed as they are, the SMA Carmen Administrators, RVM Sisters, faculty staff, students, parents, alumni and all those who are involved in this tasks of evangelization are called to grow in interiority of life and revitalize passion to engage in the renewed evangelizing mission of the Church to bring fullness of life in Jesus Christ.