HISTORY
RIZAL MEMORIAL COLLEGES INC.
Established as a private educational institution committed to the task of upholding the laws of the Republic, in keeping with the spirit of the Philippine Constitution, and with the goals and objectives of the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Legal Education Board (LEB), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. (RMC) seeks to educate the Filipino citizen regardless of sex, race, religious beliefs, age and economic status. This philosophy of RMC is expressed in its school motto: Pro Deo Et Patria, for God and Country.
Rizal Memorial Colleges was officially incorporated and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 5, 1948. RMC was formed by a group of young men, alumni of Metro Manila Schools, Colleges, and Universities. The first members of Trustees were;
- Leopoldo M. Abellera, Chairman
- Ireneo D. Benavidez, Secretary
- Jose M. Shotwell, Treasurer
- The other members were Vicente Casiño, Roque Yulo, and Antonio Buenaventura.
Atty. Leopoldo M. Abellera later became a Justice of the Court of Appeals and the Chair of the Land Transportation Office. In 1948, RMC started with 520 students. The complete basic education (Elementary and High School) programs were offered.
Additionally, the courses offered were the first two years of Commerce, the first year of the Liberal Arts, Law, and a one-year Secretarial course. Later, the third and fourth years of Commerce, the second year of Liberal Arts and Law were offered. These courses were completely offered in the next succeeding year, to include 4-year Normal and Education courses.
As enrollment increased, more academic programs were offered. The Agricultural program in 1977, the Graduate program in 1982, the Distance Secondary Education Program (Sunday School) in 1983, a 4-year Secretarial Administration course and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1985, and the Criminology program in 1997. Several majors were opened under
each program as the need arose. A six (6) months Caregiver Course duly registered with TESDA started operating in 2004. All these programs were duly recognized by the government.
Today, RMC has its Integrated Basic Education Department (IBED) which consists of Kindergarten, Elementary, Junior High School and Senior High School programs. The Elementary and Junior High School has re-accredited Level II status granted by FAAP (Federation of Accrediting Agency of the Philippines) through the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities Accrediting Council Inc. (ACSCU-ACI). The Level III re-accredited programs in Higher Education departments are the Liberal Arts (Arts & Sciences), Teacher Education Program, Business Administration, and Master of Arts in Educational Management. The Criminology Program is now on Level II, still aiming to their way for Level III accreditation.
In the past and continuing at present, RMC has been producing top board passers and many of them are now occupying important positions in government and the private sector. RMC has suffered two big destructive fires that hit the city, first in 1964 and then in 1970. Another fire on January 31, 2003, razed down the Engineering, and Technology building in this campus along with a newly renovated chemistry and physics laboratory, the ROTC, and some Administration offices. A fourth fire hit RMC in December 2008.
Undaunted, RMC launched a vigorous program of reconstruction, expanding its campus to the rolling hills of Marfori Heights Subdivision in the mid-’70s. The 5-hectare land is the site of many buildings. It has a 2,000-capacity gym. Two-storey concrete buildings house the Elementary and High School classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and offices. Two separate buildings house the Colleges of Criminology, Agriculture, and, on Sundays, the MWSP or Modified Work and Study Program. Additional three-storey buildings were constructed that house the Junior and Senior High School Students in 2017. More spacious libraries, laboratories, Guidance Offices with Counselling rooms, and Clinics were provided for the Basic Education Department. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the classrooms today are empty with students, but Rizalian education continues online.
The new air-conditioned Gymnasium is equipped with a basketball court and a huge stage for programs, graduations, symposia, and the like. Outsiders may use it for a fee. Priority use is for school activities. As a concrete manifestation of valuing service and nationalism, the RMC Gym was used as an isolation facility for those afflicted with the Covid-19.
The construction in the 5-hectare property includes a three-storey building with 30 classrooms on F. Torres Street. It houses the President’s Office, Board and Conference Room, and other Administrative Offices, the College of Arts & Sciences and Education, College of Business Administration, the School of Law, and the Graduate School. The ground floor has commercial spaces for lease.
Guided by the dreams of our National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal to make available widespread educational opportunities to all, the Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. continues to take
Justice Leopoldo M. Abellera
Founder of Rizal Memorial Colleges
Justice Leopoldo M. Abellera was a renowned Filipino educator, lawyer, and judge who founded Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) in Davao City in 1948. He was appointed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, a classmate at the UP School of Law, and served as a Court of Appeals Justice. Abellera was also a three-time appointed Davao City councilor and head of the Bureau of Transportation, the forerunner of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
As the founder of RMC, Abellera aimed to provide quality education to the people of Davao City and beyond. The institution has since grown to offer various programs, including basic education, college degree programs, graduate studies, and a college of law .
Abellera’s legacy extends beyond education. He was honored with the Datu Bago Award, the highest honor given to Davao’s sons and daughters, and was recognized for his contributions to the community.
RMC continues to uphold Abellera’s vision of providing affordable, quality education and fostering future leaders. The institution has maintained its reputation for excellence in academics, sports, and extracurricular activities.
BE A PART OF THE RIZALIAN COMMUNITY
Join a community where excellence, integrity, and patriotism unite to shape tomorrow’s leaders. At Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC), we cultivate a spirit of service and inspire a lifelong commitment to learning, nation-building, and global citizenship. Becoming a Rizalian means becoming part of a legacy that values education as the foundation of progress and purpose.