Malate Catholic School (, abbreviated as MCS) is a private Catholic K to 12 school in Malate, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines established in 1917. It is accredited by PAASCU.
History In 1588, Augustinian friars from Spain established a mission in Malate under the advocacy of Our Lady of Remedies. By 1596, the Augustinians had moved the small chapel to the site where the church currently stands.
The school's origins trace back to 1909, when the "Beatas de la Compañía de Jesús", now known as the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) Sisters, began teaching local children at the "Escuela Catolica de Malate," which is documented in a photograph of the Beatas from that year. The parochial school was formally founded in 1917 under the Redemptorist Fathers, who then administered the parish, with Terence Brown serving as the first director and Mother Alix, a Belgian sister from St. Theresa's College, as the first principal.
The school's history was interrupted by war. In 1941, Japanese forces invaded the country and devastated Malate; the school was forced to close, and its classrooms were converted into hospital wards run by the American Red Cross as the Remedios Hospital. The conflict came to a head in 1945, the year of the American liberation, when the school was ravaged by war. By then the Columban Fathers had taken charge of the parish, and the violence claimed lives connected to the institution: John Lalor was killed on the hospital premises, while others were killed in the church alongside other martyrs.
The school reopened in 1946 on the Grade School Campus after repairs under the leadership of Sheehan. In 1957, management of the school was turned over to the Columban Sisters, with Mary Bernardine serving as the first superior.
Between 1963 and 1983, the MCS saw considerable progress and growth in student population, which required the construction of a new building. In 1972, a five-storey building, now named the Assumption Building, opened for the girls' high school and was blessed by Cardinal Rufino J. Santos, the Archbishop of Manila, on January 22 of that year. James McCarthy took over direction of the school alongside the Columban Sisters in 1974, and in 1975, Bishop Leonardo Legaspi headed the School Board while Ma. Laetetia was appointed Assistant School Directress. MCS achieved a notable distinction in 1977 as the first National Quiz Bee Champion in the History category, and the following year became a member of the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM), adopting its varied testing materials. In April 1982, the school was placed under a Board of Trustees headed by Bishop Gaudencio Rosales, Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, with Mary Laetetia appointed School Directress. The following year, MCS passed the preliminary accreditation of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU).
In 1985, a three-storey building named after San Lorenzo Ruiz was constructed on the Boys' campus. The following year, the school purchased a residential house and lot adjacent to the Boys' campus, initially used as a typing room and medical clinic for the boys before being renovated into the RVM Sisters' convent in 1990. In 1987, MCS underwent its second formal PAASCU re-visit and was granted a five-year accreditation status. The school's students achieved notable successes in 1988, first winning at a national level in the Rotary-sponsored Public Speaking contest, and then sending a delegate to London who won the international competition; that same year, the school's representative to the Manila City Girls' and Boys' Week was elected Youth Mayor of the city.In 1990, management of the school passed from the Columban Fathers to the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) Congregation, with Ma. Rita Ferraris appointed as school directress. That same year, on July 16, a devastating earthquake struck Luzon and partly destroyed the old grade school building, prompting a fund-raising drive called "Piso Mula sa Puso" to finance a new Our Lady of Remedies building. Cardinal Jaime L. Sin, Archbishop of Manila, assisted by Bishop Manuel Sobreviñas, his auxiliary and chairman of the MCS Board of Trustees, blessed and laid the building's cornerstone on October 23, 1990. Ma. Clarita R. Balleque succeeded Ma. Rita Ferraris on December 8, 1990. In 1991, MCS launched its Diamond Jubilee, and preparations began for its third PAASCU re-survey.
In 1992, Gabriel Reyes, then Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, launched the Madre Ignacia Movement's Malate chapter on March 1. That same year, MCS underwent the PAASCU re-survey, using Form B of the analysis and evaluation process for the first time, and was once again granted a five-year accreditation status.
On July 4, 1994, Cardinal Jaime L. Sin blessed the newly built Our Lady of Remedies building, which housed the library, computer and science laboratories, faculty room, and classrooms for the girls' grade school. Construction of a new Madre Ignacia building on the Boys' campus also began that year, and Sr. Clarita encouraged the school community to establish a credit cooperative, which continues to grow in membership and financial capacity.
In 1995, Ma. Rafaela Q. Singzon replaced Ma. Clarita, who had been elected Superior General of the RVM Congregation. Manuel Sobreviñas, chair of the MCS Board of Trustees, blessed the Madre Ignacia building on the Boys' campus, which housed libraries, science and computer laboratories, and faculty rooms. That same year, MCS also served as a host school for local and foreign delegates during the World Youth Day celebration led by Pope John Paul II.
The Immaculate Conception building was blessed in time for the PAASCU visit. The building houses the chapel, directress office, faculty room, music and art rooms, ballet room, classrooms for the girls high school and the PE hall at the rooftop. Gerardo O. Santos, the superintendent of MAPSA-South Manila, was the new chairman of the board of trustees. The school gymnasium was renovated to have more bleachers to accommodate more audience.
The 1997 school year brought numerous physical improvements to the campus:, including the renovation of both the AV-Little Theater and the school gymnasium (which was dedicated in honor of Cardinal Jaime L. Sin, as well as the construction of the new Immaculate Conception building. Moreover, the canteens in both the Boys' and Girls' campuses were expanded, internet service was launched in the multimedia center of the Immaculate Conception building, and the Queen of Peace Ladies Dormitory was built on the site of the Sisters' convent. Three ground-floor classrooms in the St. Joseph building on the Boys' campus were converted into a function room and social hall, and the Finance Office was computerized.
In 1998, PAASCU conducted its fourth re-survey of the school, again using Form B, and granted MCS another five-year accredited status. The Immaculate Conception building was blessed in time for the PAASCU visit; it housed the chapel, directress's office, faculty room, music and art rooms, ballet room, high school classrooms for girls, and a PE hall on the rooftop. Gerardo O. Santos, superintendent of MAPSA-South Manila, became the new chairman of the Board of Trustees, and the school gymnasium was renovated with more bleachers to accommodate larger audiences.
In 2001, Ma. Alice S. Tan succeeded Ma. Rafaela Q. Singzon as school directress. This year marked a significant restructuring of departments and the integration of the entire school program: the retirement of two principals paved the way for merging the Grade School Department (no longer divided into Boys' and Girls' sections) with the High School Department. The Board of Trustees appointed a single principal for the Grade School, whilst Directress Ma. Alice Tan served as the concurrent and transitional principal of the High School Department.
A new high school principal was appointed in 2002, further strengthening the integration effort. Several considerable developments took place that year, including the intensification of the Program of Instruction through the creation of a Curriculum Committee, and the redesign of the school curriculum to include special courses in Speech, SRA, and Computer studies in line with the Department of Education's new Basic Education Curriculum (BEC). Lay administrators were empowered through the adoption of a Minimum Level of Authority strategy in decision-making, and the school began pursuing International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification by training Internal Quality Auditors (IQAs) to regularly assess and evaluate school services. The school's mission and vision statement was refined and rewritten, a "cool mist system" donated by the MCS Alumni Association was installed in the gym, and an official office was provided for the Parent-Teachers Advisory Council (PTAC).
In 2003, MCS earned recognition for quality management meeting international standards, receiving ISO 9001-2000 certification from the external agency TÜV Rheinland Philippines. The awarding ceremony was attended by the Board of Trustees, former BOT Chair Msgr. Manuel Sobreviñas, officers of the MCS Alumni Association, the Parents Council, and guests from the Department of Education and city government. That year, self-contained classes for grades one and two were adopted, along with co-educational classes at the same levels. The school also launched festivals for fathers, mothers, and children to celebrate the Fourth World Meeting of Families in Manila. From April 3–6, 2003, MCS administrators and Internal Quality Auditors traveled to Thailand to benchmark practices with Assumption University. The school additionally applied for membership in international organizations, including the Association of Human Resource Practitioners of the Philippines (ASHRPI) and the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction (WCCI), while the Alumni Association revived its annual homecoming, intensified its scholarship program, and launched fund-raising drives for school improvement.
In August 2004, MCS underwent its fifth PAASCU re-survey and was again granted a five-year accredited status, with an interim visit in the area of instruction scheduled for the third year. The school adopted a computerized grading system that year, and the MCS Alumni Association (MCSAA) gave tribute to outstanding graduates and alumni with awards of recognition. Sr. Alice began preparing the school community for another significant integration of the high school and grade school departments, and before the school year ended, the Administrative Council, with approval from the Board of Trustees, decided to appoint a single principal for the entire school. Electrical re-wiring was carried out in the Boys' campus buildings for improved safety, and a Non-Formal Education program and Night High School were launched through the initiative of the Social Action Center.
In 2005, Ma. Celestine T. Viernes replaced Ma. Alice Tan as directress, and MCS began operating under a single principal for the entire school, in the aim of uniting the school community more closely around a shared mission and vision. That year, groups of administrators and teachers from Japan, Korea, and Singapore visited MCS, and key administrators from Southville International School in Parañaque were assembled at the school for a round-table discussion on the ISO certification process. The school also adopted a biometric identification system for employee attendance.