ST. Mary's School, Sagada, Mt. Prov., Philippines

St. Mary's School Sagada [SMSS] is an Episcopal Church institution, established by American Missionaries in 1904 to help educate and  Christianize the so-called non-Christian tribes of  the Cordillera mountain ranges of Northern Philippines [historically referred to as Igorots, Cultural Minorities, tribal communities or indigenous people]. 

Through SMSS, quite a number of Igorots were able to obtain higher education, attain lofty positions in their fields of endeavor or assumed leadership roles in their respective communities.  Not a few point to the quality of education they received from SMSS as a key factor in their achievements.

Unfortunately, SMSS  has been overtaken by adverse developments forcing the  Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines [EDNP] to announce that it can no longer sustain the operation of the school and is seriously considering the painful option of closing the same.

Cognizant of the importance of SMSS, Sagada in the educational, spiritual, social, economic and/or political upliftment of Igorots in the mountain ranges of the Philippine Cordilleras, concerned SMSS alumni and friends opposed the plan to close the school.

Concerned alumni and friends are now in the forefront of efforts towards rehabilitating SMSS and sustaining its operations. They are appealing for donations or assistance of any kind from any and all sources to help SMSS continue its mission of dispensing quality education to an indigenous people struggling but determined to catch up with mainstream Philippine society and the rest of the world.  The current needs of the school are described in more details in the "Five-Year Development Plan" and "Priority Project" pages of this website.

To individual and corporate-donors in the U. S. A., you can channel your  SMSS donations through the SMSS Alumni and Friends Foundation, a public charity organization, tax exempt under section 501 (c) (3) of the U. S. Internal Revenue Code. Through this foundation, your donations are tax deductible under section 170 of the Code.  You are also entitled to tax deductions for bequests, devises, transfers or gifts you make through SMSS Alumni and Friends Foundation under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code. [Proof of the tax-exempt status of SMSS Alumni and Friends Foundation can be provided prospective donors upon request.]

Please click on the hyperlinks at the left side or bottom of this page to find out more about St. Mary's School, Sagada and the efforts being undertaken to try and save this school in distress.

LBS