The Mount Carmel College of Baler (Kolehiyong Monte Carmelo ng Baler in Filipino), commonly referred to as MCC

Baler or MCCB, is the oldest Catholic school in the Philippine province of Aurora.[1] It was founded in 1948 by the
American Carmelites, who were invited by Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon (1888-1949), former First Lady of the Philippines (1935-
1944), wife of the late Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon, to build a Catholic mission school in the town
of Baler. It is currently a member of the Catholic Association of Schools in the Prelature of Infanta (CASPI).

Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon (1888-1949), former First Lady of the Philippines (1935-1944), invited the American Carmelites to establish

a Catholic mission school in Baler.

Contents

 1History
o 1.11940s–1960s
o 1.21970s–1990s
o 1.32000–present
 2Notable faculty
 3Notable alumni
 4Degree, non-degree, and graduate programs
 5Professional examinations
 6Controversies
 7Sister schools
 8References

History[edit]
Heads of

Mount Carmel College of Baler

Rev. Gabriel (Richard) Gates†, director, 1947-1951

Rev. Leo McCrudden†, director (1947-1948), who died

at Baler Bay on July 6, 1948, together with his
companions including Bro. Vincent Sheerer, in search and
rescue of lost fishermen during a storm, the incident of
their loss at sea for five days being detailed in the book A
Man Shall Scatter by Sean Buckley [2][3]

Rev. Basil Nolan†, OCD, director, 1954-1955

Rev. Athanasius Danieletti†, director (1955-1956),

together with Rev. Cayetano Serafines, the first ordained
Carmelite from the Prelature of Infanta, who chose
layman’s life after retirement from religious life and who
served as his assistant

Rev. Herman J. Esselman†, OCD, director, 1958-1961

Rev. Andrew LeFebvre†, director (1961-1964), with Rev.

Simon Lindgren, OCD, and Rev. Nicholas Riddell, OCD,
as assistant directors (1962–1963, 1963-1964,
respectively)

Rev. Dominic Sheerer†, OCD, director (1964-1967), with

Rev. Marius Martin and Rev. Benjamin Green as assistant
directors

Rev. Joseph Mary Flannery†, OCD, director, 1967-1968

Rev. Alfred Wood, OCD, director, 1968-1970

Rev. Arnold S. Boehme, OCD, director, 1970-1971

Rev. Ignacio Read, OCD, director, 1971-1973

Rev. Alan Rieger, OCD, director (1973), the first

episcopal vicar of education for the whole prelature of
Infanta; the first executive vice-president (1980)

Sister Bernadette Rodriguez, CM, directress, 1974-1976

Dr. Epitacio S. Palispis, the first layman to become the

president of MCC Baler, 1976-1982

Sister Francine Pacis, SFIC, executive vice-president,

1982-1986

Sister Mercedes E. Salud, SFIC, executive vice-

president, 1986-1994

Sister Esperanza L. Vistro, SFIC, executive vice-

president, 1994-2000

Sister Tarcela O. Taa, SFIC, executive vice-president,

2000-2003

Rev. Edwin C. Agapay, acting executive vice-president,

2003-2004

Sister Mary Paul A. Plasabas, SFIC, executive vice-

president, 2004-2008

Dr. Nida V. Hugo, officer-in-charge, executive vice-

president, 2009

Rev. Andres A. Lumasac, executive vice-president,

2009–present

1940s–1960s[edit]

1970s–1990s[edit]
Such programs as the Bachelor of Science in Commerce (BSC), major in economics and the BSC, major in accounting were offered
in 1978 and in 1985, respectively, but the latter was phased out in 1993.
The 1970s, which marked the growth of social awareness, challenged the school to “direct its education for social
justice and respect for the dignity of persons.” The school thus defined its thrust towards the “formation of Christians who are
witnesses to God’s love and are active participants in the improvement of life in the locality."[7]
The school had a consortium with the Philippine Wesleyan College (PWC), now the Wesleyan University of the Philippines (WUP),
from 1977 to 1981 for a graduate program in administration and supervision.
Upon the invitation of the Most Reverend Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, DD, bishop of the Prelature of Infanta, the Franciscan
Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (SFIC) arrived in 1982. Since then, the school administration has been entrusted to the SFIC.
The mission statement of the prelature necessitated the formulation of the mission statement of Carmel schools in the prelature,
which could define the thrust to build the church of the poor. Thus, the school formulated its first mission statement in 1987 with its
programs and activities geared toward holistic human formation of its academic community.
An agreement with Saint Joseph’s College of Quezon City (SJCQC) for extension of classes in the masteral
level for faculty upgrading took effect from 1987 to 1991.
The need for a more relevant and contextualized Christian formation program (CFP) was felt in 1990 which led to the setting up of
the CFP Office headed by a coordinator.
For the first time, the school hosted the CASPI assembly on July 16, 1990, the day when the 1990 Luzon earthquake shook the
province and other nearby provinces.
The research and development office (RDO) was set up in 1992 to conduct research and evaluation studies as baseline data for
planning and decision-making. One of its first outputs was the review and reformulation of the 1987 mission statement of the school.
The San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Parish, the historic Baler Catholic church, by which Mount Carmel College of Baler stands.

Catholicism took a new life in Baler when three pioneering Discalced Carmelite (OCD) friars arrived in 1947[4][5][6] upon the invitation
of Doña Aurora. Soon after, Mount Carmel High School of Baler (MCHS Baler), now known as Mount Carmel College of Baler (MCC
Baler), was built near the San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Parish, the historic Baler Catholic church, to fill the need for an evangelical
mission in this town.

1970s–1990s[edit]
Such programs as the Bachelor of Science in Commerce (BSC), major in economics and the BSC, major in accounting were offered
in 1978 and in 1985, respectively, but the latter was phased out in 1993.
The 1970s, which marked the growth of social awareness, challenged the school to “direct its education for social
justice and respect for the dignity of persons.” The school thus defined its thrust towards the “formation of Christians who are
witnesses to God’s love and are active participants in the improvement of life in the locality."[7]
The school had a consortium with the Philippine Wesleyan College (PWC), now the Wesleyan University of the Philippines (WUP),
from 1977 to 1981 for a graduate program in administration and supervision.
Upon the invitation of the Most Reverend Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, DD, bishop of the Prelature of Infanta, the Franciscan
Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (SFIC) arrived in 1982. Since then, the school administration has been entrusted to the SFIC.
The mission statement of the prelature necessitated the formulation of the mission statement of Carmel schools in the prelature,
which could define the thrust to build the church of the poor. Thus, the school formulated its first mission statement in 1987 with its
programs and activities geared toward holistic human formation of its academic community.
An agreement with Saint Joseph’s College of Quezon City (SJCQC) for extension of classes in the masteral
level for faculty upgrading took effect from 1987 to 1991.
The need for a more relevant and contextualized Christian formation program (CFP) was felt in 1990 which led to the setting up of
the CFP Office headed by a coordinator.
For the first time, the school hosted the CASPI assembly on July 16, 1990, the day when the 1990 Luzon earthquake shook the
province and other nearby provinces.
The research and development office (RDO) was set up in 1992 to conduct research and evaluation studies as baseline data for
planning and decision-making. One of its first outputs was the review and reformulation of the 1987 mission statement of the school.
The first alumni homecoming was held on December 28, 1994 with approximately 500 attendees who were high school and college
graduates.
Aspiring to be truly with the Church of the poor, the school consequently aligned its thrust and objectives, such as the promotion of
the fullness of life and the nurturance of humanizing relationships, with the 1995 mission statement of the prelature.
The "Panalangin ng Carmelian" (literally, "Prayer of a Carmelian") was formulated in 1995 by the college so as to further
strengthen devotion to Mary, mother of Christ, whom the prelature called "ina ng sambayanan ng mga dukha" ("mother of the poor
people"). Originally written in Filipino, it has been one of the most recited prayers in school programs and activities since then.
An agreement with SJCQC for the conduct of graduate school extension classes was renewed in 1995 and lapsed in 1998.
The school served as an evacuation center for the people of Baler who were affected by flash floods on December 24, 1995.
To keep pace with the technological progress, the school offered new programs, such as the Bachelor of Science
in Accountancy (BSA), the Computer Secretarial, and the Computer Science, in the academic year 1995-1996. The Bachelor
of Secondary Education (BSEd), major in religious education, was offered in the school year 1997-1998 to grant the request
for teachers of Christian formation subjects.
The school celebrated its golden jubilee on February 18, 1998, the same day when one of its buildings, the Aurora Building, was
dedicated in loving memory of Doña Aurora.
The Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen scholarship fund for the financially poor but academically capable students of the prelature was
launched on July 23, 1999, the same day when a two-storey retreat house was dedicated to the bishop.

2000–present[edit]
The Bachelor of Science in Criminology (BSCrim) program was offered in 2003.
The basic education and the higher education departments of the school were restructured in 2004.
The mission statement of the school was revised in 2007 with the inclusion of the Carmelian spirit of prayer, compassion, and
prophetic action. The vision and mission of the school were reformulated as follows: “We, the Catholic schools in the Prelature of
Infanta, inspired by the Blessed Trinity, strive towards the holistic formation of the person and society in communion with the
Church, the community, and the family under the maternal care of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We commit ourselves to follow Jesus
Christ and the Gospel values, with openness to formation, imbued with the Carmelian spirit of prayer, compassion, and prophetic
action, as we continually strive for quality education in the service of the Church and society.”[8]
The school celebrated its diamond jubilee on February 18, 2008.[9]
For the second time, the school hosted the CASPI assembly from July 16 to 19, 2013.