History of Paco Catholic School
In 1580, the early Franciscan missionaries founded the town of Dilao (now known as Paco), located on the left side of the Pasig River, bound by Pandacan on the North, Sta. Ana on the East Southeast, Malate on the South and Ermita on the West. Ten years later, Parroquia de Dilao was established with Rev. Fray Juan de Garrobillas as its first Parish Priest.
In 1762 the parish was relocated near the Pasig River. Years later, the Franciscan Superior Governor incorporated the two smaller towns of Santiago and Peña de Francia (Peñafrancia) with the existing parish. The expanded parish was then transferred where the Peñafrancia Church now stands. Finally, the Franciscan Superior Governor ordered that the new town be called San Fernando de Dilao.
Fr. Fray Fernando de la Concepcion Perdigon who was appointed Parish Priest in 1809 started the construction of a concrete church which was completed in 1814. During the Spanish-American war in February 1899, the concrete Spanish-built church in the present site was destroyed and completely burned. Meanwhile, the parishioners had to go to a small chapel at the corner of J. Zamora and Canonigo Sts. (now Quirino ave. Extension) for church services for the next nine years.
After the Spanish Franciscans left in 1900 the Archdiocese of Manila entrusted the parish to the Belgian Scheut Missionaries popularly known as CICM (Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae) and also known as the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who managed the parish from 1908 to 1984.
The façade of the pre-war Paco Church with the two spires
Fr. Raymond Esquenet was the first CICM to be appointed Parish Priest of Paco by the Belgian Superior of the Order. He took over the management of the parish in October 1908 with Fr. Maurice Lefebvre as his assistant. Fr. Esquenet made use of a small chapel along Peñafrancia Street, which became an extension of the parish and where he started a small school for about 50 children.
Old Picture of PCS Human Lily Formation
After Fr. Esquenet was assigned to another parish in Lipa, Batangas in September 1912, Fr. Godfried (Godofredo) Aldenhuijsen, popularly known as Fr. Godo, took over the parish. Aside from parish work, Fr. Godofredo continued what Fr. Esquenet had started - educating the young in his small chapel.
Fr. Godofredo founded Paco Catholic School in 1912 which emerged as an institution to reckon with, becoming the largest parochial school in the Far East. He also established other institutions, like the Pasig Catholic College in 1913, St. Andrew School in 1917, and Cainta Catholic College in 1961.
In June 1913, following an increase in enrolment, Fr. Godofredo asked the Belgian Mothers (CMSA now ICM) from St. Theresa’s College to help run the school in Peñafrancia. Thereafter, enrolment steadily increased to one grade level every year until the primary course (Grade 1-4) was completed. Finally in 1916, the Grade School was granted Recognition by the government.
When Fr. Godofredo was transferred to Pasig in September 1919, Fr. Josef Billiet became the Parish Priest, a position he held for 10 years. Finding it too inconvenient to administer a growing school which was quite a distance from the convent of Paco, he had a wooden building of five rooms constructed nearby along Trece de Agosto Street on the North and along the estero on the South which is the present location of Paco Catholic School. The students of Peñafrancia then transferred to the new building in the early 1920’s.
March 1931 marked the return of Fr. Godofredo to Paco after an absence of 12 years. The old church started by Fr. Esquenet in 1908 and completed by Fr. Godofredo in 1912 was reconverted into four classrooms in 1932. A second floor was added to serve as the ICM sisters’ convent. On May 21, 1933, the sisters in-charge of the school came to live permanently in the church-school compound.
In 1933, the Intermediate level (Grades 5-7) was granted government Recognition. A year later, a three-storey concrete edifice was constructed and first year high school was offered. Paco Catholic School accepted its first 13 students in the new High School Building, then named the Sacred Heart Building. From then on, one year level was added every year.
As then, 13 freshmen formed the first batch of the High School Graduating Class in SY 1937-1938, Paco Catholic School then received Full Recognition from the government for offering the secondary course.
When World War II broke out in the Pacific on December 8, 1941, the school closed. However, in 1942, on the occasion of a pastoral visitation, the Archbishop of Manila insisted that at least the high school level be reopened.
In July 1944, Fr. Joseph De Bal temporarily became the school Director. Fr. Godofredo being a Dutch, was detained with other foreign nationals in Laguna. Later, Fr. Godofredo was deposed as the Parish Priest by order of the Japanese authorities, but was reinstated on the same day through the intervention of the Archbishop. Thus, the school was placed under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Manila. The battles of liberation forced the school to close again in September 1944.
At the end of the war in 1945, Fr. Godofredo returned to Paco. The devastation of the church and the school buildings was so extensive that a canvass roof had to be placed over the old church. The place served as temporary church on Sundays and as a school on weekdays. With the help of American engineers, more repairs were made. Paco Catholic School was able to start classes in July 1945 with 1,500 students. To accommodate all the students, the double session was introduced-girls in the morning and boys in the afternoon.
Repairs on the damaged buildings were made between 1946 and 1955, including the conversion of the Mother’s convent into a girl’s high school building.
The Old Building
Student of Paco Catholic School are taught to be God-fearing
The CICM Fathers and the Belgian Mothers (now ICM Sisters) continued their administration of the school, with the population reaching 7,000 in 1964. Six years later, a new rectory of the Sisters and the five-storey St. Joseph’s Building, which is still being used at present were constructed. The Belgian ICM sisters decided to withdraw their involvement in PCS, leaving their Filipino counterpart as Principal of the Grade School Department. From 1970 to 1984, the CICM Fathers remained as Directors of the school while the principalship of both Grade School and High School departments was given to lay administrators.
Fr. Carlos Van Ooteghem, the last CICM parish priest to serve PCS, managed the school from 1980-1984. He stayed on as Coadjutor in the parish until his health prevented him from continuing his ministry. It was during his term that the Karell Hall, the Covered Court, Fr. Godofredo and Practical Arts (PA) buildings were constructed. After 72 years of dedicated service to the ministry and education, the CICM turned over the management of the school to the Archdiocese of Manila in 1984.
Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, Teodoro Bacani Jr., became the first Filipino Director. He managed the school from 1984-1993. Fr. Danilo Canceran succeeded Bishop Bacani as School Director in June 1993.
In 1995, the five-storey San Lorenzo Ruiz (SLR) Building, which replaced the Department of Religious Education (DRE) building, was built under the administration of Parish Priest Bishop Teodoro Bacani and of School Director Fr. Danilo Canceran.
The population in PCS continued to increase, especially when Kindergarten 1 was introduced in 1995. The start of the Nursery Level was a year later.
In 1996, Monsignor Domingo A. Cirilos Jr. was appointed Parish Priest and Director of the institution. In less than a year of his incumbency, he had the altar of the church renovated.
After undergoing a series of construction, the school now stands with pride, giving Paco district’s skyline a new profile. The school has continuously improved its facilities and maintained its high standard of education through the years by keeping abreast with the changes and trends in education.
With the steady growth of the student population and recognition of the critical role of learning in the early years, Paco Catholic School made the Early Childhood Education (ECE) a separate department from the Grade School in June 2003. The Grade School Department was granted the Certificate of Accreditation by PAASCU, Level II as approved by FAAP (Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines) on December 10, 2004. On the next year of January 31, 2005, the High School Department was granted the Certificate of Accreditation by PAASCU, Level I as approved by FAAP (Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines). In June 2006, the Special Education Department was created in response to the special needs of children who are cognitively capable but behaviorally challenged. Dr. Loida L. Hilario, then the Principal of the ECE Department, was appointed Principal also of the new department.
In 1997, the two old buildings along Trece de Agosto up to the estero were demolished to make way for a new five-storey Pope John Paul II (PJP II) Building, now known as St. John Paul II (SJP II) Building, replacing the Holy Cross and Our Lady’s Building. This was completed in 1998. It was also in the same year when the Early Childhood Education (Nursery, Kindergarten and Preparatory) was completed.
May 1999 saw the construction of the Jaime Cardinal Sin (JCS) building, housing 33 rooms for the High School Department and a 1,000-seater auditorium, completed 1 year and 2 months later. The modern structure was blessed in July 14, 2000 fittingly by Jaime Cardinal Sin himself.
During the 89th PCS Foundation Day celebration, Parish Priest and School Director Msgr. Domingo A. Cirilos Jr. led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a 10-storey school edifice. The magnificent structure, named after Blessed, now Saint Pedro Calungsod, was blessed and inaugurated on November 8, 2002 in a grand ceremony coinciding with the 90th PCS Foundation Day Anniversary Celebration.
1996 San Fernando de Dilao Church Altar
After undergoing a series of construction, the school now stands with pride, giving Paco district’s skyline a new profile. The school has continuously improved its facilities and maintained its high standard of education through the years by keeping abreast with the changes and trends in education.
With the steady growth of the student population and recognition of the critical role of learning in the early years, Paco Catholic School made the Early Childhood Education (ECE) a separate department from the Grade School in June 2003. The Grade School Department was granted the Certificate of Accreditation by PAASCU, Level II as approved by FAAP (Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines) on December 10, 2004. On the next year of January 31, 2005, the High School Department was granted the Certificate of Accreditation by PAASCU, Level I as approved by FAAP (Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines). In June 2006, the Special Education Department was created in response to the special needs of children who are cognitively capable but behaviorally challenged. Dr. Loida L. Hilario, then the Principal of the ECE Department, was appointed Principal also of the new department.
1996 San Fernando de Dilao Church Altar
In May 2010, Msgr. Rolando R. Dela Cruz was appointed Parish Priest and School Director, a position he served up to April 2014. Upon his appointment, he initiated, among other things, the improvement in the artistic design of the church’s sanctuary, impeccably redefining it. As School Head, he continued the great legacy of his predecessors while at the same time introducing new elements in the current academic formation and school practices that would address the needs of the present times. It was during his term that the school Centennial, a very important milestone in the existence of PCS, was celebrated. It was also under his term when the High School Department was granted with the Certificate of Accreditation by PAASCU, Level II as approved by FAAP (Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines) in December, 2010.
With the implementation of the K to 12 Curriculum in School Year 2011-2012, ECE was integrated with the Grade School Department while the Special Education Program was placed under the School Director.
Beginning school year 2012-2013, air-conditioning units were installed in all classrooms and selected laboratories to improve the learning environment. Then, the following constructions and renovations/relocations took place: the Our Lady of Candelaria Chapel, the waiting area near the Grade School and High School gate, the Grade School Faculty Room, the Book Room; and the offices of the Center for Christian Formation (CCF), Maintenance, Registrar, Human Resource Management & Development (HRMD), Finance Office and the St. Pedro Calungsod Building. Subsequently, the Instructional Media Center (IMC) was also air-conditioned. All these were for the improvement of the delivery of services to clientele.
Major changes in the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila Educational System (RCAM ES) were introduced in academic year 2014-2015 among which were the separation of the management of the school from the parish and the clustering of schools under the supervision of one school director with an assistant director resulting in Paco Catholic School being placed in Cluster 1 with Fr. Maxell Lowell C. Aranilla as School Director, Fr. Rany P. Geraldino as Assistant Director for Finance and Administration and Mrs. Dina B. Abariso as Assistant Director for Academics. In school year 2015-2016, Fr. Lorenz Moises J. Festin took the place of Fr. Rany P. Geraldino as Assistant Director for Finance and Administration. It is under their leadership that the ECE and SPED areas were officially placed under the Grade School Department. Likewise, Senior High School, as an integral part of the K to 12 Program was established with its first batch of graduates in 2018.
Today, Paco Catholic School High School Department with Level III PAASCU Accreditation and the Grade School Department with Level II PAASCU Accreditation, continues to provide its clientele with quality Catholic Education, the very mission that brought about its birth a century ago.
New Picture of PCS Human Lily Formation participated by students, teachers, non-teaching employees and administrators.
Philosophy
In the Catholic School System, the aims and objectives are enhanced and ennobled by the Catholic Philosophy of Life which recognizes that every human being has an eternal destiny as well as an earthly existence. Education is a preparation of the whole man for life here and hereafter.
Therefore, all men having that inalienable right to education must be developed in keeping with their ultimate goal, ability, sex, culture and tradition in fostering true unity and peace.
A People called by the Father in Jesus Christ to become a Community of persons with Fullness of Life witnessing to the Kingdom of God by living the Paschal Mystery in the power of the Holy Spirit with Mary as Companion.
Paco Catholic School, an evangelizing arm of the Church, is an institution of learning and formation, offering quality Catholic Education. It envisions its students to be total persons sensitive to the plight of the poor and responsive to the needs of the dynamic Philippine society and global challenges.
We commit ourselves to:
make PCS a home and institution of excellent quality education with emphasis on Gospel values integrated in all learning experiences;
nurture within the community an atmosphere of service and genuine concern for the upliftment of the deprived, depressed and underprivileged;
provide opportunities and tools for holistic development of students to make them locally effective and globally competitive; and
establish linkages with the home and community to sustain efficient and responsible stewardship of God’s creation.
Institutional Goals
To provide in its curricular offerings learning experiences deeply rooted in Gospel values
To deepen within the community the love for Christian service and concern for our less fortunate brethren
To harness students’ potentials and talents in all areas of endeavor, making them highly competitive
To create an environment where students develop a sense of duty and purpose, personal, civic and moral responsibility and commitment to God and Country through responsible stewardshipestablish linkages with the home and community to sustain efficient and responsible stewardship of God’s creation.
Objectives of the Institution
Pursuant to its vision, this institution seeks to produce:
A morally upright person with unwavering faith in God and constant love of his fellowmen;
an individual who values himself in order to preserve family unity and to efficiently discharge his responsibilities;
a Filipino citizen who is proud of his race and his culture, and works to promote world peace and unity in society;
an individual who pursues an honest living, loves things Filipino and is responsive to the needs and changes of the times;
a Filipino citizen who loves and willingly serves the Republic of the Philippines, intelligently exercises his individual and collective rights and faithfully practices the ideals of democracy;
a person who fosters harmony, goodwill and brotherhood among the people of the world; and
an individual who lives healthily and uses his leisure time wisely to be physically fit for the development of self and community
“PACONIANS: Men and Women of Faith, Love and Service.”
PCS Moto
“Noblesse Oblige” – Nobility Obligates!
Man is created in the image of God that s/he may exist in a loving relationship with Him and with each other (Gaudium et Spes 12). S/he therefore, is gifted with self-knowledge and freedom to know and love God above all things, and is in a living and loving relationship with his/her fellowmen.
Through knowledge and intellect, s/he discovers the truth and actually shares “in the light of the divine mind” (Gaudium et Spes 15). Through freedom, s/he has the capacity to know what is true and good. Thus, having been born as a beloved child of God in the waters of Baptism, there can be no greater nobility; there is no higher dignity, than that of being an image of God in Christ.
From this, s/he adheres to and lives up the PCS Motto: “Noblesse Oblige”, which means “your nobility and dignity is great, so is your responsibility”.
Every Paconian has a noble calling as a child of God and a brother/sister of Christ. Because of this unique privilege s/he belongs to the nobility of God’s kinship. As such, s/he has an obligation to be a living witness of this calling and must live his/her life accordingly.
Being part of Paco Catholic School is an expression of his/her high regard for this noble institution for excellence and for the spirit and standards not only in academic pursuits but above all in religious formation for Catholic living.
