The Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus in Guagua, Pampanga traces its beginnings to the initiative of Doña Carmen Macam Vda. De Lim, who, with the encouragement of the parish priest, Fr. Maximo Viron, invited the Madres del Beaterio through the Superior General, Rev. M. Efigenia Alvarez, and the archbishop of Manila, to open an institution of learning in the town in 1908. The pioneering sisters sent were M. Josefa Avendano, superior, M. Cornelia Siapuatco Tirona, directress, and M. Ana Uaje and M. Manuela de Leon as classroom and handicraft teachers respectively.

The means of transportation at the time to the town was by boat, by which the first community transported the furnitures for  the use in the institution, desks and blackboards prepared in the Mother House by M. Justina Leis (referred to the account as religiosa carpintera). The missionaries were conducted by the superior general herself for the installation of the Colegio, arriving by boat with all the luggage and classroom equipments and books.

The first step the sisters took upon arrival was to open a free primary course under the parish convent in order to prepare the children for First Holy Communion. Then they rented a house nearby for the intermediate classes. The interest of some families in having a boarding school for their children called for effort to find a bigger building. They found one, the mansion of Don Pepe Infante, but only the upper floor was available because the ground floor was being rented as a drug store. After a year, Dona Carmen, seeing that the house appeared adequate to serve the needs of the institution, offered to buy it and donate the same to the Congregation. For this purpose, she transferred the sum of twelve thousand pesos to the superior general through the local superior. Dona Carmen donated an unspecified amount of money to be invested, the income of which was meant for the support of the religious community. Her other donations were the statues of the Immaculate Conception and that of the Sacred Heart, on whose particular feasts the sisters took responsibility for decorating, and some funds for the celebration of Masses during the feasts.

The original two-storey building standing at Plaza Burgos eventually becoming three, accommodating the Sisters’ residence as well as the school. The school produced its first batch of high school graduates in 1933. There were only five, namely: Aurora Francisco, Purificacion Lagman, Sixta Francisco, Beatriz Paredes and Beatriz Romero. At the outbreak of World War II in 1941, the Sisters were called to Manila. The Americans then made use of the school as a hospital, but it was totally destroyed by the Japanese.

In 1955 the alumnae of Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, through the recommendation of M. Maria Emilia Romero who was then vicar general of the RVM Congregation, elevated a petition to the superior of the Congregation to reopen the school in Guagua. Superior General at this time was Rev. M. Maria Catalina Dychitan, herself originated from this town, and her general council, granted the petition. The Sisters requested the parish priest of Guagua Catholic Church (now Parroquia de la Inmaculada Concepcion de Guaga)  to  allow them to use the “convento” (now the Rufino Cardinal Santos Building).The kindergarten and the six-years elementary course were opened in June 1956 along the church site, under the new name, Sacred Heart Academy, the department eventually obtaining government recognition. The first-year high school was re-opened in June 1957. It was exclusively for girls. In 1958, the RVM Congregation bought a lot and a two-storey residential house owned by Mr. Martin Gonzales in San Roque. The house became the sisters’ convent and the adjacent lot became the site of the High School Building. A two-storey High School Building was constructed in 1960 and named Sacred Heart Building. The high school department was opened in 1960, and eventually obtaining government recognition. A two-storey building to house the high school was erected on this new acquisition. An imposing statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was erected in front of the structure; the alumnae sponsored the building of a grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes by the gate.

On December 24, 1969, a fire of unknown origin reduced the grade school building near the church to ashes.  This unfortunate event gave way to the construction of a two-storey wooden elementary building at a lot formerly owned by the Cancios behind Sacred Heart Building in 1970-1971. The elementary graders were gradually transferred to San Roque Campus in 1971.The following year a two-storey structure was built behind the high school edifice. More improvements were made to make room for offices and other facilities required for the school. In 1988 a three-storey building was built to accommodate additional classrooms as well as other facilities. The school library and the guidance office were constructed on the second floor of  the canteen in 1972 to further improve the services to the students. In the years that followed other facilities were added or renovated to answer actual needs, like the kiosk and the covered walk in 1973-1974, the H.E. department and the medical dental clinic in 1984-1985, a playground for the grade school in 1985 - 1986 with the support of the Family Council and the Alumni.

A three-storey concrete building was constructed in 1988-1989 to house ten (10) classrooms, the HS faculty room, the Library, the Clinic, the Guidance office and the MIC office. The building was named Mother Ignacia Building. Computer classes were offered in 1989-1990 to allow the students to catch up with the latest technology in education.

The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on June 14, 1991, caused so much havoc to Guagua and its neighboring municipalities. Despite the situation the school still opened its door to the victims. The school became an evacuation center and a center for relief goods. Many schools  and  NGOs  from NCR recourse their donations through the school. An Aeta tribe (Liplip) was also adopted by sisters.

The years saw more improvements to the infrastructure of Sacred Heart Academy. On February 11, 1995 a four-storey building named Our Lady of the Assumption was blessed by Most Rev. Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, D.D. The school marked a milestone in  School Year 1996 – 1997  by accepting boys in the first and second year high school department. In SY 1998-1999 saw the first high school graduation of   boys.

Jubilee Year 2000 marked another significant move of the school. Sacred Heart Academy  was  renamed  St. Mary’s Academy on  , in consonance with the Ignacian bonding of the R.V.M. Schools. Computerization of the Cashier and Registrar’s Offices’ operation, repainting of the Our Lady of the Assumption and Mother Ignacia Buildings and installation of sliding doors of the HS classrooms took place, too, in 2000.

The Year 2002 opened doors for the revision of the Administrative, Faculty, Service Unit Personnel Handbook and Student Handbook, installation of the air-conditioning units in the faculty rooms, provision of steel lockers for each pupil/student and computerization of the grading system.

Another significant event in 2002 was the launching of Mo. Ignacia Movement (MIM) for the Cause of the Beatification of Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo at the Immaculate Conception Parish Church, Guagua, Pampanga on October 19, 2002.

In answer to the growing population and the needed facilities, a 4-strorey building was constructed at the lot bought from the Cancio Family. It was blessed on June 6, 2003, and named Our Lady of the Beaterio Building. It houses the different administrative offices, Speech, Computer and TLE Laboratories, Library, AVR, Chapel, Guidance Office, Medical – Dental Clinic, Music Department with cubicles for piano, organ, violin, guitar, voice lesson, drum and ballet studio at the third floor and the Auditorium and archives on the fourth floor.

True to her commitment to continue improving instruction and upgrading services and facilities, SMAG ventured into institutional self-survey for accreditation. The High School Department had her Philippine Accrediting Associations of School Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) Preliminary Visit on February 10-11, 2003. PAASCU granted SMAG a Candidate Status on May 20, 2003. The PAASCU Formal Visit took place on November 22-23, 2004, for the High School Department. The Grade School Department had her PAASCU Preliminary Visit on January 24-25, 2005. SMAG passed the standards of PAASCU and was granted Level I Accredited Status on May 30, 2005 making her the only PAASCU Accredited school in the West Central District of Pampanga.

 The school also applied for the FAPE-DepEd ESC Program in SY. 2005-2006. Being a PAASCU Accredited School, FAPE readily granted SMAG a certification and subsidy to fifty (50) poor but deserving first year high school students. This annual financial assistance from the government is given until the completion of secondary course.

School year 2007–2008 has SMAG busy for 3 big events: PAASCU Resurvey Visit of the High School Department on January 17 – 18, 2008, PAASCU Formal Visit of the Grade School Department on January 21 – 22, 2008, and the Centennial Celebration on February 12 – 18, 2008. Despite all constraints, all efforts paid off. The High School Department was granted Level II Re-Accredited Status and given five years (2013) while the Grade School was granted Level I Accredited Status (2011)

The Centennial Celebration’s Reminiscing, Revitalizing and Rebuilding was a success with the hope and dream that SMAG will continue to soar the greater heights in the next one hundred years in Faith, Excellence, and Service. SMAG would really like to continue making a big difference not only in Guagua or in Pampanga but in the Philippine Church and Society…in the world.

True to its thrust to provide quality Catholic Education and services as PAASCU Accredited school, St. Mary’s Academy of Guagua, Inc. embarked into upgrading its facilities through the construction of the covered court in 2010. This serves not just a big canopy for students’ shield but also a venue for P.E. classes, school activities, and other purposes. With the government’s goal to provide financial assistance to pupils from public schools, additional ESC slots were granted to SMAG resulting to a breakthrough that all grade 7 students were grantees of the program in SY. 2011-2012. That same year, SMAG has ventured into another leap for PAASCU Accreditation. This time, the school piloted and tested its grounds in the Basic Education Program. Concerted efforts exhausted by the entire school community to work for its success has been achieved. The school was granted another five (5) years (SY. 2013-2018) Re-accreditation for Basic Education- Level II.

To further intensify the school’s Instructional Program, upgrading and improvement of facilities was the primary concern of the administration. More so, new facilities like TLE and Science Laboratories, Administrative Offices and Faculty Rooms were built with additional equipment to improve the teaching- learning process.

In 2013-2014, the school adopted the K to 12 Program.

School Year 2016-2017 was indeed another milestone for the school as it opened its doors for the implementation of the Senior High School Program.

School Year 2017-2018 the clustering of RVM schools was implemented with S. Maria Ceferina E. Bodiongan, RVM as the Directress of SMAG and Cluster Head of the three RVM schools within jurisdiction of Pampanga and Bulacan. Mrs. Miriam S. Quebral was appointed as the first Lay Principal. The school embarked into an interface of renovations and innovations to provide a more conducive learning environment for the 21st century Marian learners. The school underwent renovations like repainting of classrooms, installation of additional CCTV cameras in strategic places, canopy along hallways, food kiosks, mess tables at the covered court, hanging ornamental/medicinal plants in passages, newly structured comfort rooms, Library and Speech Laboratory, and properly-labeled trash bins in all classrooms to intensify the school’s Waste Management Program. This year, the school has produced the first batch of graduate for the Senior High School. There were one hundred fifty (150) graduates (61 for ABM [Accountancy and Business Management] and 89 for STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] who completed the academic requirements prescribed by the Department of Education. These pioneers set the record in the history of the Philippine educational reform to have finished the 12-year Basic Education under the Academic Track.

School Year 2018-2019 the school adopted an EdTech Program through Aralinks, a combination of pedagogy and technology in the Next Generation School (NGS), the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for gate keeping and cashless canteen. The Basic Education (Kindergarten to Grade 10) was visited by the Philippine Accrediting Association of School, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) for re-accreditation and was granted Level II Accredited status valid for 5 years.

School Year 2019-2020, S. Maria Lorina A. Jumawan, RVM was appointed the School Directress. To foster innovative teaching and effective learning through technological academic advancement as a combination of pedagogy and technology, Robotics is integrated in the curriculum from Grades 4 - 12. The school was able to acquire 10 sets of VEX IQ Kits which are robotics platforms to transform the learning paradigm of students using robots. The Grade 12 has their immersion in various government offices, industries, hotels and in the school’s offices. The students from Nursery to Grade 10 had their educational trips in museums and historical landmarks in Manila. The year is a challenging one brought by unexpected interruptions in the school calendar of activities such as suspensions of classes brought by typhoons, floods, the national transportation strike, Southeast Asian Games, the eruption of Taal volcano and the deadly corona virus disease (COVID-19). By January 2020, the school strictly complied with the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) health protocols like the wearing of face mask, use of alcohol and social distancing in the school campus.

The Alumni Homecoming held on February 22, 2020, was a big success with an estimate of 700 attendees. It was hosted by the Silver Jubilarians Class 1995, and they donated Php 200,000.00 for the scholarship fund. On February 23, 2020, was the celebration of Family Day, part of the program was a talk on Parenting: Raising Dreamers by Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan which was done after the Mass. The school Community Involvement Program (CIP) adopted the Sitio Divine Mercy community. One of the major projects implemented is the construction of the comfort room beside their chapel. This project is in collaboration with the PTA Officers. Personnel, Students and PTA Officers are all involved in the outreach activities like feeding and lectures on oral hygiene, storytelling, reading and writing, basic prayers, life of Mother Ignacia, basic catechism on Family, home visit, sharing of goods to the Orphanage-Reception Study Center for Children (RSCC) and tree planting at Eco Park in support of the Municipal Mayor’s endeavor on environmental projects.

The kindergarten graduation and Nursery culminating activity was held on March 16, 2020, and on March 17, 2020, the whole nation was on total lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. All school operations were closed indefinitely.

School Year 2020-2021 is a historic year in the life of the academe. It is a departure from the traditional formats and transitioning into Online Distance Learning modalities. S. Maria Lorina A. Jumawan, RVM was appointed Directress and Principal. The school year started its online classes on August 24, 2020, with Aralinks as the official primary Learning Management System (LMS) platform with Microsoft Teams for video conferencing. The use of modules and textbooks served as supplementary learning materials.

The school celebrated its 113th Founding Anniversary on February 16, 2021, with the theme “Marians: Gifted to Give.” At the same time, the Launching of the Scholarship Program “#SaupMuKinabukasanKu (#SMKK).” It was shown at SMAG Facebook Page live. There was a painted mural wall for the names of the donors to the SMKS scholarship. In solidarity with our less fortunate brothers and Sisters, the SMAG community through its Community Involvement Program extended a helping hand through outreach activities. And since face-to-face was not allowed, the usual activities in the adopted community such as catechism, storytelling, hygiene talk, etc. were suspended. It focused more on the sharing of goods or monetary donations to help them in their needs.

The Class of 2021 would always be remembered as the pioneer of Online Distance Learning and the year-end rites were all done virtually.

School Year 2021-2022 marked a seamless transition to TIME-DL (Transformative Ignacian Marian Education-Distance Learning) in terms of the utilization of digital platforms for the faculty. The teachers were technologically equipped and capacitated to aptly prepare them on the use of platforms for synchronous and asynchronous classes.

The Basic Education Program of the school was granted PAASCU Level III Re-Accredited Status from the Federation of Accredited Agencies valid for 3 years.

After 5 years, the school was selected and monitored by the PEAC Regional Secretariat among the schools in Pampanga. The findings of the documents and reports presented and assessed were all complete, with no errors, in compliance and highly commendable.

This school year the conduct of research by the teachers was given a priority. The faculty were divided into three groups based on the subject areas being taught to produce action research. The title of the first group (English/Filipino/Christian Living/Araling Panlipunan areas) action research is “An Analysis on the Synchronous Performance of Grade Eight Students Using English as Medium of Instruction.” The second group (Science/Math areas) title of the action research is “New Normal: A Combined Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning Approaches in Mathematics and Science among Grade 10 Students of St. Mary’s Academy of Guagua, Pampanga.” The third group (TLE, Computer, MAPEH areas) the title of their action research is “TLE and MAPEH Teachers’ Problems and Strategies in Conducting Performance Standards through Online Distance Learning of St. Mary’s Academy of Guagua School Year 2021-2022.”

The celebration of the Catholic Teachers’ Day held on February 11, 2022 (Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes) was a breakthrough as the whole academic community spent together, face-to-face after two years of being socially isolated to an outing at Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar, Bagac, Bataan. The day started by attending the fiesta Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Cabetican, Bacolor, Pampanga.

In terms of Community Involvement Program, the school donated Php 25,000.00 to the parish for their Christmas gift giving to the poor and for typhoon Odette victims. The weeded-out books from the library were donated to Lubao National High School and Bancal Pugad Elementary (Coastal) School. The school was also of service to the wider community of Guagua as venue of the National Vaccination Day.

As the academic year ended, the school prepared for the implementation of the expanded phase of limited face-to-face classes and accomplished the School Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT) per DepEd Memorandum No. 071, s. 2021 to assess the readiness of the school for the safe reopening of classes for the incoming school year.

School Year 2022-2023 started with a hopeful mode and full of enthusiasm brought by a fresh start with the transitioned learning modalities from purely online to blended to full face-to-face classes. The school redesigned its educational programs based on new learning paradigms and regained the social spaces. We started with the blended learning modality on August 15, 2022, with three (3) days onsite classes and 2 days online classes. By November 7, 2022, we transitioned to full five (5) days face-to-face classes. The school year marked yet another successful milestone as our students, faculty, and staff made contributions to academic excellence, character development and community engagement, despite the uncertainty and constraints of the emerging new normal educational landscape. There was a revisit of the Strategic Plan of 2022-2027. The celebration of the school’s 115 founding years with the theme “Grateful and Resilient Builders of Hope.” The continual improvement of its facilities such as the elevated driveway to prevent flooding, renovated Senior High School faculty room, remodeled canteen extension, CCTV upgrade, and landscape of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto. The school donated one hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00) to the parish of the Immaculate Conception as share in the renovation of Rufino Cardinal Santos Building, where SMAG, formerly Sacred Heart Academy held their first classes after the World War II. The institution establishes networks, linkages, and partnerships with local, national, regional, and international agencies and groups to pursue its vision, mission and goals. The school served as venues for the Philippine National ID Registration, Municipal DSWD Children’s Assembly and other activities of the municipal and parish. The school also established its network with the Somascan Fathers in Lubao, Pampanga. They are the school’s partners in providing confession, recollection, and retreats to students, personnel and parents.

School Year 2023-2024 The school’s 115 years journey in educating the youth in Guagua, Pampanga and its neighboring town is God’s awesome gift to us. The many events that happened in school year 2023-2024 is a legacy to be pass on to the next generation. Noteworthy is the affirmation of the school’s presence in the locality as the Sanggunian Bayan of Guagua, Pampanga passed a Resolution No. 58-S-2023 dated April 24, 2023, recognizing “the invaluable contribution of the Religious of the Virgin Mary in establishing St. Mary’s Academy (Formerly Sacred Heart Academy) on its 115 years of dynamic resilience in providing quality formal education, hence producing law-abiding and benevolent citizens”. The formal awarding of recognition was done on December 19, 2023, by the Hon. Mayor Anthony Joseph Torres. S. Maria Salvacion Borjal, RVM, Regional Superior of Luzon received the plaque.  Present during the awarding ceremony were M. Maria Rosabella Gallo, RVM, RVM Sisters from Generalate and Luzon region, Fr. Benjamin Espiritu III, members of the Sanggunian Bayan of Guagua, Department of Education (DepEd) officials, alumni officers, parents, and other notable persons.

September 28-29, 2023, the school embarked on an accreditation journey through the PAASCU Preliminary Visit for the Senior High School Program using the new instruments. Less than two months after the visit, a letter from PAASCU has been received that the school can now apply for a formal survey one year after receiving the report. On February 22, 2024, the school received from PAASCU that the Senior High School Program of St. Mary’s Academy of Guagua is granted a Candidate Status.  The certification is valid until November 2025.

This school year, there was an immense improvement in the facilities at the Mother Ignacia Building where the Senior High School students are housed.  There was a repainting of the building and classrooms. SMART TVs were upgraded in specs and size, glass boards were installed, and lighting/ceilings were improved. A Students’ Kiosk opposite the Mother Ignacia Building has been constructed to accommodate the students during breaktime.  This also serves as a multi-purpose area for group studies, meetings, and gatherings. An upgraded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) automatic swing type turnstile and cashless canteen system was installed. Also, new acquisition for chapel accessories (altar table, ambo, lectern, candelabra, table candle holders, atril book stand credence table, Mother Ignacia altar and pews), canteen renovation, tiling of the Sacred Heart building corridors, and acrylic board at the front gate.

The EMC of Luzon held a Demo Fest highlighting the RVM Pedagogy. Mr. Francis Augustine V. De Mesa had demo class on the subject General Physics 2 with the Grade 12 and Mrs. Lilian M. Romero Araling Panlipunan with the Grade 6. The observers were S. Ma. Salvacion Borjal, RVM, S. Ma. Ninfa Gemang, RVM, S. Maria Lorina A. Jumawan, RVM, Mrs. Gemma T. Villanueva, and Mrs. Miriam S. Quebral.

Knights and Maiden of the Blessed Sacrament had their Tree Planting outreach activity last November 25, 2023, at Kasigun Prayer Farm, Angat, Bulacan with the theme: "Moving Forward in Synodality to Address the Climate Emergency: Empowering Youth on Climate Justice Through 115 Trees". Christmas Gift Giving to 115 Beneficiaries/Families from Sitio Divine Mercy and the Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth (Home for the Poor, Abandoned, Surrendered, Handicapped, and Special Children).

The very supportive Alumni that gathers yearly for their grand alumni homecoming is a testament of their love to their alma mater. The Silver Jubilarians class of 1995 (GS) and 1999 (HS) donated the amount of Php 200,000.00 for the scholarship program and the construction of an Alumni Hall. The Golden jubilarians class of 1974, donated the furnishings of the alumni hall.

On May 23, 2024 was the Thanksgiving Mass for the graduates and completers officiated by Arch. Florentino Lavarias, DD and concelebrated by Arch. Emeritus Paciano Aniceto, DD and Fr. Benjamin Espiritu III.

School Year 2024–2025 unfolded as a sacred pilgrimage marked by grace, growth, and a deepening commitment to mission. Guided by the theme “Journeying Together as Pilgrims of Hope: A Year of Grace, Growth, and Mission,” the Ignacian Marian community embraced the call to synodality, faithfully echoing the spirit of walking together in communion, participation, and mission. The school year commenced with the Salubong and the celebration of the Holy Spirit Mass, setting the tone for a synodal journey that wove through every program and initiative. Rooted in faith, enriched by community, and strengthened by a shared purpose, SMA Guagua embodied the mission of Catholic education in concrete, transformative ways.

The Department of Education launched the MATATAG Curriculum as a recalibrated K to 10 Curriculum under the K to 12 program. This will be implemented in phases, starting with kindergarten, grades 1,4, and 7 for this school year 2024-2025. The full implementation of the curriculum is expected to be completed by 2027. The RVM Education Ministry (EMC) re-aligned the RVM Curriculum with the MATATAG Agenda of the DepEd and named it RVM M3 Curriculum agenda that is MakaDiyos (God-Centered) Makabata (Child-Centeredness) and Makabansa (Nationalism).

Grace through Faith-Rooted Formation

Christian formation flourished through a vibrant array of spiritual engagements, including school-wide recollections, retreats, BEC and IFP sessions, First Friday Masses, Living Rosary, and prayer services in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Mother Ignacia. The growth of the Marian Catechists provided students with meaningful opportunities to serve as catechists in nearby elementary schools, reinforcing their faith through service. The Jubilee Year of Hope was deeply internalized, with special emphasis on justice, peace, and environmental advocacy.

Growth in Excellence and Character

Academic formation thrived through interactive and meaningful learning experiences such as project-based learning, subject-based fairs, and the joyful celebration of school events like Buwan ng Wika, Nutrisyon Month, Career Fair, and Intramurals. Off-campus achievements in sports, journalism, and the arts highlighted the students’ holistic development.

A renewed emphasis on research culture took root across departments. Both students and teachers engaged in inquiries and studies that supported innovation, classroom improvement, and PAASCU documentation. The successful PAASCU Level III Re-Accreditation for the Basic Education Program (Kindergarten to Grade 10), granted on June 5, 2025 and valid until May 2030, stands as a testament to the school’s enduring commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

Mission through Service and Compassion

Anchored in the RVM charism of humble service, SMA Guagua intensified its outreach efforts. Students, alongside faculty, parents, and alumni, actively engaged in catechetical missions, environmental initiatives, emergency relief operations, and community service. These activities were not merely extracurricular—they were expressions of the school’s identity as a missionary community, animated by compassion and service.

As the academic year concluded, the community of SMA Guagua stood united in gratitude and hope. The lived experience of the theme was evident in every classroom, encounter, and effort. The year was, indeed, a pilgrimage—graced by faith, challenged by mission, and guided always by God.  With Mother Ignacia as an enduring inspiration, the SMA Guagua family looks ahead with renewed resolve, journeying together with hope as compass and mission as guide.