Institutional and Community History

The school started with the idea of Bishop Sofronio Hacbang, Bishop of Calbayog and concurred with by Mr. Alfredo Palencia, Sr., a Paloan-on, when they met in 1924. Their plan took shape in 1926 when Bishop Hacbang, authorized, Rev. Fr. Pacoli, then Parish Priest of Palo, to use the parish funds for the project.

    The first school corporation was formed with Rev. Fr. Pacoli as head and the following as members: Don Juan Palencia, Municipal Treasurer, Pedro D. Sevilla, Don Marcial Acebedo, Ricardo Mendiola, Municipal President and Rev. Fr. Ignacio Mora. Mun. Pres. Mendiola who was commissioned to go to Manila was able to secure Government Permit for the school to operate. In July 1, 1946, the school obtained Government Recognition. The pioneer volunteer teachers were: Mr. Alfredo Palencia, Dr. Alejandro Montejo, Atty. Gregorio D. Montejo, Ms. Placida Barbosa, Mr. Custodio Saboren, Ms. Paz Montejo and Mr. Ceferino Montejo.

   The first School Director was Rev. Fr. Marcial Dira followed by Fr. Felixberto Avestruz, Fr. Consorcio Poblete, Fr. Buenaventura Galera, Fr. Sofronio Mandia, Fr. Eufrocino Abala, Msgr. Mate, Bishop Cipriano V. Urgel and Msgr. Esteban Justimbaste. The first principal was Mr. Alfredo Palencia. He was succeeded by Dr. G. Gemenciano, Mr. Jose Cortez and Mr. Jesus Mora.

   In 1949, Most Rev. Manuel Mascariñas, then Bishop of Palo, invited the Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) through Rev. Mo. Ma. Andrea Montejo, RVM, Superior General, a native of Palo, to help manage the school. S. Ma. Emiliana San Juan, RVM was the first RVM Principal followed by S. Ma. Elena Cinco, RVM. 

   In 1951, LCA successfully celebrated the Silver Jubilee with the active leadership of the latter. Significantly, in that same year, the enrolment reached 875, the highest ever recorded at that time. Five years later, Most Rev. Lino R. Gonzaga, then Bishop of Palo, legally turned over the school with all its facilities and the two-hectare lot to the RVM Congregation, through a Deed of Donation. The name of the school then was changed to ST. MARY OF PALO (cf. Amended Art. Of Incorporation: July 29, 1980)

    On June 22, 1955, with S. Ma. Justina Martinez, RVM as Superior, the new building was constructed in the new site, completed and blessed on February 15, 1957. The school was named ST. MARY’S ACADEMY. (cf. Amended Art. of Incorporation: July 30, 1981)

    The construction of the Sister’s Convent and the Girls’ Vocational Building followed. In the summer of 1964, the building underwent major repair. Four rooms annexed to each wing to accommodate more classes. In 1977, under the administration of S. Ma. Consuelo Peñeda, RVM, an annexed building that housed the laboratory, library and three additional classrooms was constructed and blessed by Bishop Cipriano Urgel.

       S. Ma. Elsa Javier, RVM was the principal from 1979-1980.

     The enrolment reached 1, 132, the biggest ever since its foundation. S. Ma. Eulalia Banawis succeeded S. Clarita. To cope with the increasing enrolment, a multi-purpose hall and a classroom were built at the back of the building. In 1987, S. Ma. Celestina Viernes, RVM, Superior-Principal, renovated the ground floor classrooms and the comfort rooms. Atty. Federico Triste, PTA President, assisted in the project.

    S. Ma. Ceferina Bodiongan, RVM who was Superior-Principal of SMA for nine years (1987-1996) was responsible for significant developments of the school. In March 1993 through the funding by MANUS UNIDAS, Madrid, Spain, the general renovation of the school started. The building, complete with modern comfort rooms for students, was blessed on September 5, 1993 by Archbishop Pedro R. Dean, D.D., of Palo Archdiocese. Funding from CEBEMO, enabled the administration to provide a non-formal education (typing and sewing) for the unemployed mothers and out-of-school youths of Palo. The Moraleda Peace Corps Scholarship Grant and SMA FOUNDATION, INC. made scholarship grants available to less privileged but deserving students.

    In April 1999, the school building had major renovation together with the Sister’s Convent. Archbishop Pedro Dean, with Rev. Mo. Ma. Clarita Balleque, RVM gracing the occasion, blessed both in June 1999.

      On August 2-3, 2000, the school marked the Golden Jubilee as an RVM school.

     In 2001-2002, S. Ma. Marietta N. Escañan, RVM was appointed Principal of the school and S. Ma. Consolacion Buenaventura, RVM, Superior-Econome. A massive termite control of the whole compound and buildings was undertaken.

    The termite infested Administrative Offices and classrooms were knocked down and reconstructed; CL Office adjacent to the Principal’s Office was converted into a Conference Room while the C.L. Center, Guidance Center and Clinic were relocated so they could function with privacy.

     In March 2002 renewal of the S.E.C. Registration and Government Recognition were secured. Legally and officially, the school is named ST. MARY’S ACADEMY OF PALO, INC. (cf. Amended By-Laws, March 18, 2002)

   The Class ’77 Jubilarian through the leadership of Mr. Mederico Villabalanca, Class President, cemented a portion of the quadrangle and provided a pair of triple park lights in time for the Easter Sunday 2002 Homecoming. It was truly a grand homecoming.

    “The New Way of the Cross” in mural painting on the inside fence wall, a Lenten 2003 project of Christian Living Area, which gave meaning to the stations of the cross on campus on Lenten season was implemented.

     In 2005-2010, S. Ma. Marilou B. Madronero, RVM was appointed as Principal. From school year 2007- 2008, the school started to incorporate the essential elements of the Understanding by Design framework in the Instructional process, enriching the RVM Pedagogy with its four-pronged integration of Ignacian core values and related values, lesson across discipline, social orientation and biblical/ faith reflection in all subject areas.

    Therefore, in 2009, the interweaving of the UbD framework onto the RVM Pedagogy was mandated by the Religious of the Virgin Mary Education Ministry Commission (RVM-EMC) was fully implemented. In 2010 Unit Plans and Learning Plans were used instead of syllabi and lesson plans. Unit Performance Task was likewise emphasized.

     S. Ma. Violeta S. Juanico, RVM was assigned Superior/Principal in 2010-2012. The fervor to make a difference in the ministry under her administration includes not only providing for faculty development but also in innovating the curriculum to respond to the needs of the changing times. Students have also received awards in both academic and non-academic competitions outside the school. From SY 2012-2014, S. Ma. Rondina M. Bongoc, RVM served as principal.

       On June 11, 2013, while the construction of the convent and chapel as in progress, the school conducted a blessing ceremony officiated by Rev. Fr. Martin Cubi for the newly renovated school building which was attended by the members of the RVM Regional Council. Unfortunately, the said infrastructure project was derailed by the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) on November 8, 2013 in which the second floor of the newly renovated building and other structures were severely damaged most if not all were beyond repair.

       However, such enormous destruction did not discourage the RVM congregation to pursue its mission in Palo; to offer affordable quality catholic education to its youth as well as to the youth of the nearby towns and the city of Tacloban. With the help of national and international NGOs, the RVM congregation continued the derailed infrastructure project with the addition of the construction of a new 12 room-2storey building which was then given top priority to be finished the soonest possible time. On February 24, 2014, the rite of the blessing in the site where the construction of the new building will be erected was held with again Rev. Fr. Martin Cubi as the officiating prelate and witnessed by the school administrators, faculty and non-teaching staff and students.

      In the school year 2014-2015, S. Ma. Marina A. Insigne, RVM was designated as the new school principal and upon her instruction, on February 24, 2015 the newly constructed school building was used and occupied by the students from all year/grade level. Aside from this new building, a new stage was constructed near the school canteen which was timely used during the 74th Commencement Exercises for the last graduating class of the 2010 Revised Secondary Education Curriculum.

        In the summer of 2015, constructions continued in different locations in the campus which includes the renovations of the Library-Science-AV building, ground floor of the main building which hopefully will be finished in time for the implementation of the senior high school come school year 2016-2017.

       On October 26,2015, the faculty occupied their respective cubicle in the newly constructed air-conditioned faculty room equipped with 2 computers and a printer. On November 9,2015, the newly renovated air-conditioned library equipped with 3 computers with Internet Connections was opened to provide research materials for students and faculty.

       On December 1,2015, the newly constructed Finance Office was opened to serve the school’s clientele while on the following month, January 4,2016, the newly constructed Registrar’s Office was also opened. The Computer Laboratory room was opened for students’ use on February 22,2016.

        On March 1, 2016, the newly constructed clinic was opened to serve the medical needs of students and faculty. Before the end of April 2016, the construction of the following Offices/Rooms was finally completed and ready for use for the next school year such as the Guidance Office, TLE Room, 3 classrooms and 2 Science Laboratory rooms.

       School Year 2015-2016 was also the preparation year for the implementation of the Senior High School comes School Year 2016-2017. With this preparation the school was able to apply for an Academic Track with the following Strand Offerings: GA (General Academic), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), ABM (Accounting, Business, and Management) with Government Permit No. 034, S. 2015. This is also the school year where there was no graduation instead Moving-Up Ceremony for the first batch of completers of the Grade 10 Junior High School.

      With high hopes for the coming school year 2016-2017 together with the newly installed and appointed Superior-principal in the person of S. Mary Grace B. Sebigan, RVM, new organizational set-up was being implemented by institutionalizing the appointments of the Academic Coordinator as well as the Subject Area Coordinators in Language, Science & Mathematics and TLE/ Computer/MAPEH/AP.

        Initial Preparation for the ESC Recertification being facilitated by the new principal started as early as the beginning of the school year but due to the massive effect of typhoon Yolanda, there’s a difficulty of retrieving the documents of the previous years. With the preparation and the meager retrieval of documents, the ESC recertification was materialized last February 1, 2017.

      Keeping abreast to the new landscape of the new educational system in our country, St. Mary’s Academy of Palo, Inc. strive her best to comply and upgrade the facilities for all who will be benefitted by the improvement of the school facilities.

      Another milestone in the school’s mission to offer quality catholic education was recorded in the annals of St. Mary’s Academy of Palo in school year 2017-2018, when the school conducted her first graduation ceremony of the Senior High School by virtue of RA 10533 entitled The Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.  Presented by Mr. Angelito A. Java, the Academic Coordinator the candidates for graduation: 55 students who took General Academic (GA) strand, 51 students who took the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand and 54 students who took the Accounting, Business and Management (ABM) strand, a total of 160 candidates to S. Mary Grace B. Sebigan, RVM, Principal for confirmation,   the first batch of Marian Graduates of the Senior High School received their Senior High School diploma on March 23, 2018 at the Marian Hall.  Gracing this momentous event were Mr. Raul Salaño, Representative of the Department of Education Leyte Division Office and Rev. Fr. Manuel Abogado III, an alumnus of the school belonging to batch 1993 as the Guest Speaker.

   To be at par with the neighboring high schools, St. Mary’s Academy of Palo, Inc. ventured in school year 2018-2019 in an instructional innovation called ARALINKS TEACHNOLOGY, a copyrighted program which is a holistic technology in instruction that combines technical and human components to deliver innovative teaching and effective learning. During this school year also a Satellite Canteen near the gate was initiated by S. Mary Grace B. Sebigan, RVM to decongest the old canteen near the Marian Hall due to the increasing number of students

      Another venture implemented in school year 2018-2019 was the acquisition of a program in a systematic way of computing the grades of students through A COMPUTERIZED GRADING SYSTEM. It was installed during summer of 2018 and the teachers’ orientation was done by Miss Letty Sentero in June. To raise the standard of the school’s management system, the school also launched the RVM QUALITY ROADMAP (RVM - QRM) on August 31, 2018. A major repair happened this school year which was the retiling of all the second floor classrooms as well as its ceilings and gutters. Renovation also of the old sister’s convent was done and it was blessed last December 2018. The repairs and renovations were facilitated by the workers of Arch. Prudencio Cebedo.

     January 2019 was also significant since the application of the school for HUMSS

(Humanities and Social Sciences) Strand was approved by DepEd, meaning the school can already accommodate enrollees in this strand comes school year 2019-2020. Launching of the Philippine Catholic Standards (PCSS) comes to its reality last March 4, 2019, the initiative was a product of the Regional PCSS orientation and seminar-workshop facilitated by the Regional Core group through the leadership of S. Ma. Remy Villaraiz, RVM, the Regional EMC- Basic Education Member.

    On February 2019, the school started the construction of a four storey building and was constructed adjacent to the Our Lady of Assumption Building intended for the Senior High School students particularly the grade 11.The construction was done again by the workers of Arch. Prudencio Cebedo. On June 9, 2019, Pentecost Sunday, Rite of Blessing of the said new SHS school edifice which was named Our Lady of Hope Building was presided by Rev. Fr. Chris Arthur Militante. In attendance to this special occasion were S. Ma. Fe B. Lagarto RVM, the Regional superior of the Visayas Region, S. Ma. Catherine Legion, RVM, Regional Econome, S. Ma. Jesusita Bernate, RVM, Regional consultor, and Local Superiors and School Heads of the different RVM Schools in Samar, teaching and non-teaching personnel, alumni, parents, MIM members, and the SSC(Supreme Student Council) officers of the school

   School Year 2019-2020 started the year with 1,061 students the biggest since the school enrollees’ decrease in the previous years of its existence. With this significant increase, the school wanted more for her clientele, thus, offering the Ignacian Marian learners on the current trends in Computer Education, as the school ventured again in another instructional innovation called ROBOTICS facilitated by the Computer Teachers in Coordination with the Science Area Coordinator. Moreover, all classrooms of the grades 7-12 were installed with 2 Horsepower Air-conditioning Units to make the students feel comfortable and the classroom conducive to learning. On July 12, 2019, the school launched her 70th year as an RVM administered school since 1949. The celebration commenced by a town parade and concluded with a Eucharistic Celebration at the Palo Metropolitan Cathedral presided by his Excellency Archbishop John F. Du, D.D., Archbishop of Palo.

     To fully implement the RVM Quality Roadmap, the school, through the leadership of S. Mary Grace B. Sebigan, RVM, the school principal, Miss Evelyn Victor was invited to help the school team validators thus, the First Internal Validation was done last August 2019. This was followed by the January 2020 Second Internal Validation following the procedures given during the first validation.  

     Over and above all these material progress and human development, the LCA-SMP-SMA-SMAP has reaped the fruits of her toil in her alumni who acknowledge the significant contribution of their Alma Mater to who they are, wherever they are now. Noteworthy are the graduates who responded to God’s call to consecrated service in the Lord’s vineyard-are Priests and Religious Sisters.

     May the great legacy of Mother Ignacia Del Espiritu Santo which is the education ministry be blessed and fruitful for the Glory of God!