Catholicism took on a new life in Baler when (3) pioneering Discalced Carmelite Friars (OCD) arrived in 1947 on the invitation of the First Lady, Doña Aurora Quezon, the wife of President Manuel Luis Quezon, and on the approval of the Bishop of Lipa, Most Reverend Alfredo Versoza, DD.
Soon after, Mount Carmel High School- Baler, now known as Mount Carmel College (MCC) was born. The school started operating on June 23, 1948 with ninety-six (96) students, six of whom were seniors, who received their high school diplomas at the end of the school year under the directorship of Father Gabriel Richard F. Gates, OCD (1947-1951) and Father Leo McCrudden who died at Baler Bay on July 6, 1946. Mother Maria Asuncion Mendiola became the first principal [1948-1953].
On August 9, 1951, the school was incorporated under the laws with incorporation No. 6242 and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-stock corporation. The first Board of Trustees was composed of the following: Bp. Patrick Shanley, Fr. Andrew Le Fevere, Father Herman J. Esselman, Fr. Richard Gates. Mother Asunsion became member of the board.
Soon after, the following succeeded as Director, Father Basil Nolan, OCD (1954-1955) Father Athanasius Danieletti, OCD (1955-1956). Father Herman J. Esselman, OCD (1958-1961), Father Andrew Le Fevere, OCD (1961-1964), Father Simon Lindgren, OCD (1962-1963), Father Dominic Sheerer, OCD (1964-1967), Father Alfred Wood, OCD (1968-1970) Father Arnold Boehme, OCD (1970-1971) and Father Ignatius Read, OCD (1971-1973).
In August of 1973, Father Allan Reiger, OCD took over as a Director and at the same time as Episcopal Vicar of Education for the whole Prelature of Infanta. He was succeeded by Sr. Bernadette Rodriguez, CM in 1974-1976 as Directress. Mr. Epitacio S. Palispis became the first President in 1976 to 1982 while Father Allan Reiger as the first Executive Vice-President in 1980.
On the event that the Carmelite Fathers were moving out of Infanta, the SFIC sisters took over the running of the school with the invitation of Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, DD in 1982. Since then, the Office of President shall be the Bishop of the Prelature of Infanta. Sr. Francine Pacis was the first SFIC sister who served as EVP followed by Sr. Mercedes E. Salud, SFIC in 1986 and Sr. Esperanza L. Vistro, SFIC in 1994. At the turn of year 2000, Sr. Tarcela O. Taa, SFIC became the EVP until November of 2003. On December 2003, Fr. Edwin C. Agapay became the Acting Executive Vice-President until May 2004. He was succeeded by Sr. Mary Paul A. Plasabas, SFIC on the same month of 2004 to December 2008. For health reason, Sr. Mary Paul resigned and Miss Nida V. Hugo became the OIC-EVP until June 2009. On June 2009 to September 2020, Reverend Fr. Andres A. Lumasac served as the Executive Vice President. Reverend Fr. Mark Jeffrey C. Revillo, FLP, took over the EVP position on the sudden death of Fr. Lumasac from September 12, 2020 to April 2021. On April 9, 2021, Rev. Fr. Dave D. Capucao, PhD. STh.D. acts as the new Executive Vice President of Mount Carmel College-Baler.
The grade school department was opened in 1956 with 35 enrollees. Government recognition for the entire grade school department came in 1959.
Because of the demand of the people and the clamor of the youth to have a college in the locality, the college department was opened in June 12, 1961 with the effort of Father Herman J. Esselman, OCD, with a one-year Commercial Science and the Liberal Arts Program as main course offerings. Mr. Jose Manalo served as the first College Dean. The following year, the government recognition for Bachelor of Science in Education [BSE] and Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education [BSEED] degrees came. In 1966 the areas of specialization in Bachelor in Science in Education were given permit by the government. MCC offered Bachelor in Science in Commerce major in Economics in 1978 and BSC major in Accounting in 1985. The latter was phased out in 1993.
Meanwhile the 60's saw the strengthening of Catholic education with the organizations of the Legion of Mary, the Solidarity of our Lady of the Catechists Club. During these years, the Student Aide Program was likewise introduced to help the financially poor but academically capable students to finish a college education. On August 1965, the Carmelite Missionaries (CM) sisters arrived and assisted the Carmelite Fathers in the administration of the institution until 1982.
The 70's marked the growth of social awareness and consequently challenged the school to direct its education for social justice and respect for the dignity of persons. The school thus redefined 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.
The desire for a more relevant Christian education that is in keeping with the spirit and need of the times continued in the 80's. In 1982, on the invitation of the Most. Rev. Julio X. Labayen, OCD, DD., Bishop – Prelature of Infanta, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (SFIC) arrived in Mount Carmel College. Since then, the school administration was entrusted to their care. In 1983, the Prelature's Pahayag necessitated the formulation of the Mission Statement of Mount Carmel Schools in the Prelature of Infanta. The Mission Statement explicated the thrust to build the Church of the Poor. Mount Carmel College formulated its first Mission Statement in 1987. The statement focused on the holistic human formation of its academic community. On the same year, Mount Carmel College effected an agreement with St. Joseph's College of Quezon City for extension classes in the masteral level for faculty upgrading.
In 1990, the need for a more relevant and contextualized Christian Formation Program was felt. This led to the setting up of the Christian Formation Program Office with Ms. Nida V. Hugo as first Coordinator.
The 90's posed much bigger challenges to Christian education. The 1995 Prelature's Pahayag envisions a Christian education that would form the people and the community into active and dynamic participants in shaping history. Consequently, Mount Carmel College aligned its thrusts and objectives with the Prelature's Pahayag. Aspiring to be truly the Church of the Poor, Mount Carmel College strives to promote fullness of life and the nurturance of humanizing relationships.
To keep pace with technological growth and progress, the school offered new programs in school year 1995-1996. These are BS Accountancy, Computer Secretarial and Computer Science. In school year 1997-1998, the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education major in Religious Education was offered to answer the need of the community for teachers in the Christian formation subjects.
In response to the clamor for a more suitable venue for formation activities such as retreats and recollections, a two-storey retreat house was constructed in 1998. The building was dedicated to Most Reverend Julio X. Labayen, OCD, DD., Bishop of the Prelature of Infanta on July 23, 1999. On the same day, the Bishop Julio X. Labayen Scholarship Fund for the financially poor but academically capable students of the prelature was launched.
The turn of the Third Millennium signaled the advancement of information technology to meet the demands of the times. MCC ventured on putting-up courses that would benefit its clientele in response to the challenges of globalization. In 2002, the MCC Internet Laboratory was set-up to further strengthen the schools thrust in technological growth and progress. Additional programs were offered which include Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Caregiver Training Program in 2003.
On December 2006, the CHED approved changed of nomenclature from Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Marketing and Economics to Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing, Financial and Human Resource Development Management.
The Basic Education Department was granted Certificate of Accreditation Level I by PAASCU during the SY 2001-2002. On December 9, 2005, Certificate of Accreditation Level II was granted. Re-accreditation was conducted on January 2011 and the corresponding Certificate of Accreditation was issued on May 13, 2011.
On July 2009, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (SFIC) moved out of the Prelature of Infanta. They were succeeded by Rev. Fr. Andres A. Lumasac as the Executive Vice-President and Rev. Fr. Nilvon Co Villanueva as Financial Administrator of Mount Carmel College.
The Carmelite Missionary Sisters of St. Therese of the Child Jesus arrived in June 2010 to take over the Christian Formation Program of the school upon the invitation of the Most. Rev. Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD, DD, Bishop – Prelature of Infanta.
Government recognition for Bachelor of Science in Office Administration, Associate in Computer Technology and AB Political Science were granted on February 2011, March 2013, and March 2014 respectively.
In 2018, Mount Carmel College has celebrated its 70th year founding anniversary. For almost seven (7) decades of its existence it has become an institution that caters the intellectual and spiritual development of the people. Truly a catalyst of social change and transformation, truly a Church of the Poor. Mount Carmel College continues to orient and direct its programs and activities to fulfill its mission of a holistic human formation among its clientele, equipped with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to keep abreast with the demands and challenges of the new normal in the service of the Church and the society.
