The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila Educational System (or RCAMES) was officially established during the incumbency of His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, DD, former Archbishop of Manila. He signed the Decree on the Establishment of the Educational System of the Archdiocese of Manila on May 26, 2011 that included membership of twenty – seven (27) archdiocesan and parochial schools in the cities of Manila, Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong and San Juan. Until May 2014, Rev. Msgr. Gerardo O. Santos, Ph.D. was the Superintendent of RCAMES, with Rev. Fr. Edgardo Coroza and Rev. Fr. Marion Munda, Ph.D. as Assistant Superintendents.
During the organizational meeting of the RCAMES in January 2014, His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, DD, Archbishop of Manila, identified the 25 schools that offer Basic Education as members of RCAMES. These are:
1. Ermita Catholic School in M.H. del Pilar St., Ermita, Manila
2. Espiritu Santo Parochial School in Rizal Ave. cor. Tayuman St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
3. Guadalupe Catholic School in Orense St., Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City
4. Holy Child Catholic School in Plaza Ka A. Hernandez St., Tondo, Manila
5. Holy Family Parochial School in Sagrada Familia St., San Andres Bukid, Sta. Ana, Manila
6. Holy Trinity Academy in Calabash Road, Balic-Balic, Sampaloc, Manila
7. Jaime Cardinal Sin Learning Center in J. Posadas St., Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila
8. Malate Catholic School in San Andres St. cor. Mother Ignacia St., Malate Manila
9. Manila Cathedral School in Tayuman St., Tondo, Manila
10. Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary in EDSA, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City (for academic programs only)
11. Our Lady of Fatima Parochial Educational Center in Lubiran St., Bacood, Sta. Mesa, Manila
12. Paco Catholic School in Paz St., Paco, Manila
13. Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School in Old Sta. Mesa, Sta. Mesa, Manila
14. St. Anthony School in San Andres St., Singalong, Malate, Manila
15. St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Pinaglabanan St., San Juan City
16. St. Joseph School of Gagalangin in Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila
17. St. Joseph School of Pandacan in Jesus St., Pandacan, Manila
18. St. Peter the Apostle School in Quirino Ave. Ext., Paco, Manila
19. St. Pius X Parochial School in 7th St. cor Neptuno St., Paco, Manila
20. San Felipe Neri Catholic School in A. Reyes St., Mandaluyong City
21. San Isidro Catholic School located in Taft Ave., Pasay City
22. San Pablo Apostol Learning Center in Velasquez St., Tondo, Manila
23. San Rafael Parochial School in Taliba St., Balut, Tondo, Manila
24. Sta. Clara Parish School in P. Burgos St., Pasay City .
25. The Nazarene Catholic School in R. Hidalgo St., Quiapo, Manila
In May 2014, RCAMES adopted clustering of schools as governance model, where the directors and assistant directors were assigned to manage the schools on full-time basis. The schools were grouped into clusters, each cluster with three or four schools.
Cluster 1 Paco Catholic School, St. Joseph’s School of Pandacan and St. Pius X Parochial School
Cluster 2 Holy Family Parochial School, St. Anthony School and St. Peter the Apostle School
Cluster 3 Jaime Cardinal Sin Learning Center, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School and San Felipe Neri Parochial School
Cluster 4 Holy Trinity School, Our Lady of Fatima Parochial Educational Center and The Nazarene Catholic School
Cluster 5 Espiritu Santo Parochial School, Holy Child Catholic School, San Pablo Apostol Learning Center
Cluster 6 Manila Cathedral School, St. Joseph School of Gagalangin and San Rafael Parochial School
Cluster 7 Guadalupe Catholic School, Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary, St. John the Baptist Catholic School and San Isidro Catholic School
Cluster 8 Ermita Catholic School, Malate Catholic School and Sta. Clara ParisH School.
Under the leadership of His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, DD as Superintendent of Schools, he appointed Dr. Judith D. Aldaba as Assistant Superintendent. Rev. Fr. Elpidio Biliran, Jr, was appointed as Human Resource Officer of RCAMES and MaPSA Book Center chairman while Fr. Solomon Jardinero was appointed as Financial Analyst of RCAMES and the System’s representative to MaPSA Retirement Board.
Rev. Fr. Maxell Lowell Aranilla, Ph.D. was appointed Director of Clusters 1 and 7, Rev. Fr. Emilio Ascano, LRMS of Cluster 2, Rev. Fr. Marion Munda, Ph.D. of Clusters 3 and 4, Rev. Fr. Nolan Que, Ph.D. of Clusters 5 and 6, and Sr. Rosalina Asuncion, RVM of Cluster 8. They were assisted by Fr. Rany Geraldino (Clusters 1 and 7), Fr. Emmanuel Regalado, LRMS (Cluster 2), Fr. Leo Angelo Ignacio (Clusters 3 and 4), and Fr. Nicanor Celiano, Jr. (Clusters 5 and 6) who were appointed as Assistant Directors. In May 2015, Rev. Fr. Lorenz Moises Festin, Ph.D. was appointed Assistant Director of Cluster 1 while Fr. Rany became the Assistant Director of Cluster 7. In June 2018, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Regalado, LRMS was given a new assignment by the Father Moderator of the Lorenzo Ruiz Mission Society.
In May 2017, the Religious of the Virgin Mary did not renew the contract to manage Cluster 8 schools. Rev. Fr. Elpidio Biliran, Jr. and Rev. Fr. Solomon Jardinero took over the management of Cluster 8 schools as director and assistant director, respectively.
There is only one set of Board of Trustees in RCAMES schools. Since school year 2014-2015, the Board is composed of His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle as Chairman of the Board, Rev. Msgr. Noly Que, LRMS as Vice-Chairman, Sr. Amelia David, ICM as Corporate Treasurer and Atty. Antonio Ferrer and Dr. Voltaire Mistades, who are both alumni of RCAMES schools as Trustees. Dr. Judith Aldaba is the Corporate Secretary. With the transfer of Cardinal Tagle to Vatican as Prefect for the Evangelization of Peoples in February 2020, Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo assumed the chairmanship of the Board.
The Governance and Management of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, (nc.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila Educational System, Inc. was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 15, 2015. The incorporators were
His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle
Most Rev. Bernard Cortez, DD
Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo, DD
Rev. Msgr. Rolando dela Cruz
Rev. Fr. Maxell Lowell Aranilla, Ph.D.
Rev. Fr. Emilio Ascano, LRMS
Rev. Fr. Marion Munda, Ph.D.
Fr. Nolan Que, Ph.D. .
Sr. Rosalina Asuncion, RVM
Dr. Judith Aldaba
The Board of Trustees of RCAMES, Inc. is composed of the Archbishop of Manila, the Auxiliary Bishop/s, the Vicar General, the head of the Treasury Department, the five school directors and one lay partner. The Assistant Superintendent acts as Corporate Secretary. Unitl 2020, His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, DD was the chairman of the Board. The officers of the Board are Most Rev. Broderick S. Pabillo, DD as President, Rev. Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio as Vice-President, Rev. Fr. Cesar Buhat as Corporate Secretary, the incumbent school directors and Dr. Wynna Marie Medina as members. Dr. Judith Aldaba is the Corporate Secretary.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, Inc. created Superintendent’s Commission composed of the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent, the Directors and the Assistant Directors. It has six commissions, namely,
Leadership and Governance chaired by Rev. Fr. Maxell Lowell Aranilla, Ph.D.
Integral Evangelization chaired by Rev. Fr. Emilio Ascano, LRMS
Curriculum and Instruction chaired by Rev. Fr. Nolan Que, Ph.D.
Human Resources chaired by Rev. Fr. Elpidio Biliran, Jr.
Financial and Logistical Stewardship chaired by Rev. Fr. Solomon Jardinero
Promotions and Public Affairs chaired by Rev. Fr. Elpidio Biliran, Jr.
VISION
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 Pascal Mystery in the power of the Holy Spirit with Mary as Companion
The identity of RCAMES, its mission and core values were likewise drawn:
IDENTITY
RCAMES is a communion of Christ-centered schools unified by the vision to evangelize through Catholic education.
MISSION
As a communion of schools, we collaborate among ourselves and with others to provide excellent Catholic education and nurture each other person’s giftedness to form men and women of character and competence who will transform the society and strengthen the Church.
CORE VALUES
Solidarity: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12;12) .
Service: “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (John 12:26)
Stewardship: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24
Excellence: “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge.” (2 Peter 1:5)
Love for the poor: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)
In order to put flesh to the core values of solidarity, service and love for the poor, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila Educational System strengthens its MINISTRY FOR THE POOR through financial assistance to students who have financial incapacity to enroll in a Catholic school.
Each member school of RCAMES has a Center for Christian Formation (CCF) which has three main units: The Religious Education Department which handles the teaching of Christian Living (Religion); the Campus Ministry Department which handles the worship (liturgy, retreats and recollections), and the Pastoral Ministry Department which handles the community outreach activities. In the organizational set up of RCAMES, since there are 25-member schools, RCAMES coordinates with the office heads/in-charge of the Pastoral Ministry Departments of the schools.
Archbishop Jose Palma, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines wrote that ´”the mandate of Catholic schools is the production of morally upright citizens. This means not only the formation of the mind but of the heart. It is education that provides moral compass which directs them to the proper actions.”
RCAMES would like to extend Catholic education to the marginalized members of our parishes. Taking the words of Cardinal Chito Tagle, we would like to “qualify the disqualified” and ensure that no child is left behind in our schools. We intend to give the financial assistance (and not necessarily scholarship grant) to children who are victims of parents in conflict with law, children of parish workers and volunteers, and those who do have access to Catholic education. Opening the doors of our schools to these groups of children will provide them opportunity to improve their lives and face the challenges of the society.