Manila Cathedral School

Roman Catholic school in Manila, Philippines

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Manila Cathedral School

Location

Tondo, Manila

Metro Manila

Philippines

Coordinates| 14°37′04″N 120°58′30″E﻿ / ﻿14.61770°N 120.97511°E﻿ / 14.61770; 120.97511
Information
Type| Private, Diocesan
Motto| Initium Sapientiae Timor Domini
(The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom)
Established| 1949
Director| Nicanor Celiano Jr. (2025- present)
Elementary Principal| Elizabeth V. Pastor
Highschool Principal| Lucile Ariette A. Bautista
Number of students| approx, 4,800 enrollees (S.Y. 2025 - 2026)
Affiliations| PAASCU
Website| www.mcstayuman.edu.ph

Manila Cathedral School is a private Catholic school located in Tondo, Manila. Rebuilt in 1949, after World War II. Manila Cathedral School was transferred from its original location, Intramuros, to Tondo, Manila, where it still stands today.

Manila Cathedral School is a PAASCU Level II accredited school offering basic education.

## History

[edit]

During the pre-war years, the Manila Cathedral School of Intramuros had a famous "Tiples" all boys choir trained in sacred music. These boys came from different provinces and enjoyed free board and scholarship at the Colegio de Tiples.

After the 1945 liberation, the Manila Cathedral and the school for the Tiples were left into ruins but the Archbishop of Manila, Michael J. O'Doherty was not disheartened. Foremost in his mind was the education of these young boys. The school was transferred to the present site of Manila Cathedral School in Tayuman, Tondo, known before as the "Instituto de Mujeres" co-owned by Doña Rosa Sevilla's family and the Archdiocese of Manila. When the Instituto de Mujeres decided to transfer in Governor Forbes St., Manila, the Archdiocese of Manila purchased the entire lot thus became the sole owner. For the time, this area served to house different religious congregations.

In 1949, the archbishop called all the diocesan priests with education degrees. They agreed to establish the school for Tiples and for boys who have vocation to the priesthood and classes to commence in June 1949; to name the institution as Manila Cathedral School; and to offer slots for kindergarten up to 4th year high school.

Thus, Manila Cathedral School (MCS) was born with about 400 students paying only minimal tuition fee, exclusively for the poor boys of Tondo. In 1950s, Manila Cathedral School opened its doors to female students.

In 1978, Cardinal Jaime Sin, Archbishop of Manila, invited the Congregation of the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic (Order of Preachers) to run the school.

In 1997, the 10th MCS Directress & Principal, Maria Esperanza H. Seguban started the tertiary level, thus making MCS as Manila Cathedral College. However, in 2001, the School Board instead decided to concentrate on the Basic Education.

After 21 years of administration, the Dominican Sisters returned MCS administration to the archdiocese under the supervision of the School Board Chair Teodoro Bacani Jr., Auxiliary Bishop of Manila. In 2001, The Manila Cathedral College again became Manila Cathedral School.

In 2002, Claro Matt Garcia became the 12th School Director, Principal and Chaplain of MCS. Under his tenure he renovated and modernized the Offices and Facilities of the school, such as the introduction of air-conditioned classrooms. He also expanded the scholarship program for poor children. To give full attention to the development of the school, he invited Jesusa Bulotano to be the school principal of the school - the first time since 1978 for the school to have a separate director and principal. The tenure of Claro Matt Garcia saw the construction of several buildings; some of the buildings include a better gymnasium, canteen and improved computer and science laboratories.

In 2014, Manila Cathedral School became a member of the RCAMES North Manila Cluster School together with Espiritu Santo Parochial School, Holy Child Catholic School, St. Joseph School, San Rafael Parochial School, and San Pablo Apostol Learning Center. Nolan A. Que, the head of Curriculum and Instruction System of RCAMES was appointed as the cluster school Director and Nicanor A. Celiano Jr. as the cluster school Assistant Director. It was in his tenure that the school was granted the PAASCU Level 1 Accreditation.

## Directors and principals

[edit]

Directors and principals of Manila Cathedral School  Year  | Director  | Principal

|
|

1949-1950  | Jose Sunga (as rector)  | Arsenio Pineda (as vice-rector)
1950-1953  | Justino Ortiz  | Arsenio Pineda
1953-1978  | Arsenio Pineda  | Justino Ortiz (1951-1954)

Dalisay Alejandro (1954-1978)

1978-1981  | Rogelia Peres
1981-1986  | Bernadette Monilla
1986-1988  | Rosalinda Calong
1988-1990  | Dolores Ruiz
1990-1994  | Goretti Vega
1994-1997  | Flordeliza Villabona
1997-1999  | Ma. Esperanza H. Seguban
1999-2002  | Enrique Y. Santos
2002-2014  | Claro "Matt" Garcia  | Jesusa Bulotano
2014–2020  | Nolan A. Que  | Jesusa Bulotano
2021-2024  | Nolan A. Que  | Elizabeth V. Pastor
Revised School Administration.  Year  | Director  | Elementary Principal  | Highschool Principal

|
|
|

2024-2025  | Nolan A. Que  | Elizabeth V. Pastor  | Nolan A. Que
2025-Present  | Nicanor Celiano Jr.  | Elizabeth V. Pastor  | Lucile Ariette A. Bautista

The Manila Cathedral School revised its administration due to the increasing population of Students. MCS halved the original responsibility of the principal to better manage the students.

## References

[edit]

* Clusters 5 & 6 Student Handbook, Manila: 2018
* Manila Cathedral School Revised Student Handbook, Manila: 2017
* "Manila Cathedral School". Edukasyon.ph.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Manila Cathedral School at Wikimedia Commons
* Official website
* MCS Hymn "Cathedral Beloved"

* v
* t
* e

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila Educational System

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila

Cluster 1|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Maxell Lowell C. Aranilla, Ph.D.

|

Member schools|

* Paco Catholic School
* Saint Pius X Parochial School
* St. Joseph's School of Pandacan

Cluster 2|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Emilio A. Ascaño, LRMS

|

Member schools|

* St. Peter the Apostle School
* St. Anthony School
* Holy Family Parochial School

Cluster 3|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Marion C. Munda, Ph.D.

|

Member schools|

* Jaime Cardinal Sin Learning Center
* Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School
* San Felipe Neri Parochial School

Cluster 4|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Marion C. Munda, Ph.D.

|

Member schools|

* Holy Trinity Academy
* Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
* The Nazarene Catholic School

Cluster 5|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Nolan A. Que, Ph.D.

|

Member schools|

* Espiritu Santo Parochial School
* San Pablo Apostol Learning Center
* St. Joseph's School - Gagalangin

Cluster 6|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Nolan A. Que, Ph.D.

|

Member schools|

* Holy Child Catholic School
* Manila Cathedral School
* San Rafael Parochial School

Cluster 7|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Maxell Lowell C. Aranilla, Ph.D.

|

Member schools|

* Guadalupe Catholic School
* Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary
* San Isidro Catholic School
* St. John the Baptist Catholic School

Cluster 8|

| Cluster head|

Rev. Fr. Elpidio D. Biliran, Jr

|

Member schools|

* Ermita Catholic School
* Malate Catholic School
* Sta. Clara Parish School

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