ACADEMIA DE SAN MIGUEL ARCANGEL

Dr. Jose Rizal Street, Barangay Poblacion, Argao, 6021 Cebu, Philippines

History

June 4, 1978 marked the foundation of Academia de San Miguel Arcángel (formerly: Saint Michael School of Argao, Cebu Inc.) in Argao, Cebu with the opening of Kindergarten, First Year and Second Year High School. The Lord Cardinal Julio Rosales, Archbishop of Cebu approved the opening of the school when prominent and pastoral leaders presented to him the need for a Catholic institution of learning in their town. A thanksgiving mass was celebrated by the Parish Priest, Msgr. Pablo B.Alcarez with the presence of the Municipal Mayor, Atty. Antonio A. Almirante Jr., benefactors and parishioners.

Full of enthusiasm and ardent hope, the Hijas de Jesus, in the persons of Sr. Ramona J. Doreza, F.I., Sr. Lodorina Parreñas, F.I., Sr. Nelida Penaflorida, F.I. and Sr. Paciencia J. delos Reyes, F.I. took the helm of educational leadership of the fledgling school. Unknown to the sisters, leaders of the town have organized themselves as “Friends of the Sisters” primarily to strengthen the support for and cooperation with them.

From 1978-1981, the school completed the secondary curriculum: Third Year High School in 1979 and Fourth Year High School in 1980. Academia de San Miguel Arcángel had its first commencement exercises in March of 1981 with 32 graduates. With indefatigable determination the school has survived the test of time.

On April 1996, the school had its First Grand Alumni Homecoming that became an impetus for the collaborative improvement of educational equipment and facilities. On December 2003, the learning community under the patronage of the Archangel Michael celebrated its 25 years of fruitful existence in the Municipality of Argao.

On February 2010, the school was turned over by the F.I. Sisters to the Archdiocese of Cebu through the office of the Superintendent of the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools of Cebu. On December 2010, the Academia de San Miguel Arcángel had its Second Grand Alumni Homecoming which culminated the transition period.

Fr. Eduardo O. Ventic, Ph.D. and Fr. Mariano Dioscoro E. Cuarto, M.A.-S.L. were installed as director and principal respectively for the School Year 2011 - 2012. The following school year, Fr. Jesper John R. Petralba, Ed.D., D.M., Ph.D., D.P.A. was canonically installed as the second diocesan school head of Academia de San Miguel Arcángel. Under his stewardship the school S.E.C. papers, manuals and the organizational chart were updated and a new service vehicle was procured. A coaster from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cebu was given to the learning community through the facilitation of Fr. Cuarto.

School Year 2014-2015 witnessed the arrival of the new School Principal, Fr. Dindo C. Yosores, D.M. The following School Year, Fr. Nissan B. Toring, M.A.P.M. was appointed School Treasurer. With the generous help of the PTA and the Alumni Association, LED TV and Air Conditioning Units were installed in all classrooms. In 2018, technology-aided instruction was pursued and the renovated presbytery was inaugurated and blessed in celebration of the Ruby Founding Jubilee of the learning community. The following year, Fr. Christopher C. Amores, M.A.P.M was appointed as Director-Principal. The administrative team worked indefatigably to sustain the Senior High School Program which ushered Academia de San Miguel Arcángel into new frontiers in educational ministry. In 2021, Fr. Joel P. Oriesga, Ph.D, Dev.Ed.D and Fr. Leinad Castrence C. Garces, Ph.D. were welcomed as the School Director and School Principal respectively. The wonderful story of the learning community still expectantly unfolds as she soars high and moves forward toward the realization of her highly esteemed vision and mission.

Saint Michael the Archangel

St. Michael is one of the principal angels; his name was the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers. Four times his name is recorded in Scripture:

(i) Daniel 10:13 sqq., Gabriel says to Daniel, when he asks God to permit the Jews to return to Jerusalem: "The Angel [D.V. prince] of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me . . . and, behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me . . . and none is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince."

(ii) Daniel 12, the Angel speaking of the end of the world and the Antichrist says: "At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince, who standeth for the children of thy people."

(iii) In the Catholic Epistle of St. Jude: "When Michael the Archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses", etc. St. Jude alludes to an ancient Jewish tradition of a dispute between Michael and Satan over the body of Moses, an account of which is also found in the apocryphal book on the assumption of Moses (Origen, De Principiis III.2.2). St. Michael concealed the tomb of Moses; Satan, however, by disclosing it, tried to seduce the Jewish people to the sin of hero-worship. St. Michael also guards the body of Eve, according to the "Revelation of Moses" ("Apocryphal Gospels", etc., ed. A. Walker, Edinburgh, p. 647).

(iv) Apocalypse 12:7, "And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon." St. John speaks of the great conflict at the end of time, which reflects also the battle in heaven at the beginning of time. According to the Fathers there is often question of St. Michael in Scripture where his name is not mentioned. They say he was the cherub who stood at the gate of paradise, "to keep the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24), the angel through whom God published the Decalogue to his chosen people, the angel who stood in the way against Balaam (Numbers 22:22 sqq.), the angel who routed the army of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35). Following these Scriptural passages, Christian tradition gives to St. Michael four offices:

  • To fight against Satan.
  • To rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death.
  • To be the champion of God's people, the Jews in the Old Law, the Christians in the New Testament; therefore he was the patron of the Church, and of the orders of knights during the Middle Ages.
  • To call away from earth and bring men's souls to judgment ("signifer S. Michael repraesentet eas in lucam sanctam", Offert. Miss Defunct. "Constituit eum principem super animas suscipiendas", Antiph. off. Cf. The Shepherd of Hermas, Book III, Similitude 8, Chapter 3).

Regarding his rank in the celestial hierarchy opinions vary; St. Basil (Hom. de angelis) and other Greek Fathers, also Salmeron, Bellarmine, etc., place St. Michael over all the angels; they say he is called "archangel" because he is the prince of the other angels; others (cf. P. Bonaventura, op. cit.) believe that he is the prince of the seraphim, the first of the nine angelic orders. But, according to St. Thomas(Summa Ia.113.3) he is the prince of the last and lowest choir, the angels. The Roman Liturgy seems to follow the Greek Fathers; it calls him "Princeps militiae coelestis quem honorificant angelorum cives". The hymn of the Mozarabic Breviary places St. Michael even above the Twenty-four Elders. The Greek Liturgy styles him Archistrategos, "highest general" (cf. Menaea, 8 Nov. and 6 Sept.) (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10275b.htm).

School Seal: Significance & Explanation

The official seal of Academia de San Miguel Arcángel is a twelve-scallop edged round shape insignia in green that features a bejeweled golden crown on top of a shield on which are superimposed a sword and a dazzling yellow cross. These main elements are framed all around with the text inscription “Academia de San Miguel Arcángel, Argao, Cebu, A.D. 1978”. The crown symbolizes the glory of the Most Holy Trinity this learning community proclaims to the praise of God the Father and in whose honor all beings in heaven and on earth will fall on their knees (Philippians 2:10). The three dominant precious stones signify the three theological virtues practiced to a heroic degree by the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints with whose intercession the school endeavors to grow in grace, strength and wisdom. The sword is the representation of the victory of St. Michael the Archangel, the school titular and patron, over the forces evil (Revelation 12:7-9).

The cross represents the centrality of the gospel values in the educational policies, practices and procedures operative in this institution of learning; its dazzling yellow color signifies the life-changing message of the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The color green signifies the vivacity of Academia de San Miguel Arcangel sustained through the years by the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit the Paraclete that animate the clarion call to integral formation, reformation and transformation.

The non-serif, bold font for the text inscription suggests structural formality, religious resolution and instructional stability in the pursuit of archdiocesan pastoral thrusts, corporate philosophy and core values. The Anno Domini 1978 signifies the new era of Academia de San Miguel Arcangel as a basic ecclesial community of formation and recalls with gratitude the humble earliest beginnings of the institution as an academy in 1960. The twelve-scallop edged round shape of the insignia symbolizes the unending quest to become a leading educational institution in the Archdiocese of Cebu committed to advance the Reign of God with the same passion that filled the post-resurrection 12 Apostles.