III. Brief History
ASMIS was incorported
in November, 2011, as
a successor to All
Saints Mission
Elementary School
(ASMES) which was
founded in 1906 by
Bishop Charles Brent
and the Reverend
Walter Clapp of the
Episcopal Church of the
United States of America (ECUSA).
Headhunting forays were still the national pastime of
the Igorot tribal communities during the coming of the
American Missionaries. Three centuries of attemps by
the Spanish colonizers to bring the warring Igorot
tribes under civil authority mainly through military
subjugation proved futile. Thus, the vision of the
American missionaries focused on the pacification of
the Igorots in the Cordilleras through evangelization
and education.
Bontoc, considered then as the most warlike and most
feared tribe was chosen as a center for evangelization
and education. The missionaries initially offered free
instruction in religious, academic, and voacational
courses, as well as Kindergarten and Grade 1 after
which children continued studies in government
established schools.
After World War II which saw the destruction of all the
mission buildings, except for the girl’s dormitory, the
mission underwent rehabilitation for fifteen years.
Finally, in 1955, the elementary school was re-
established, and a complete elementary program was
implemented.
The post-war decades saw the development of a high
standard institution that produced exceptional
graduates who, after receiving well-grounded
educational foundation in academic and Christian
values, successfully proceeded to secondary and
tertiary public and private colleges and universities.
Many alumni of the school went on to distinguish
themselves in their chosen fields of endeavor.
Perhaps, the most prominent was Dr. Hilary Pitapit
Clapp, the first Igorot doctor of medicine.
ASMIS was incorported
in November, 2011, as
a successor to All
Saints Mission
Elementary School
(ASMES) which was
founded in 1906 by
Bishop Charles Brent
and the Reverend
Walter Clapp of the
Episcopal Church of the
United States of America (ECUSA).
Headhunting forays were still the national pastime of
the Igorot tribal communities during the coming of the
American Missionaries. Three centuries of attemps by
the Spanish colonizers to bring the warring Igorot
tribes under civil authority mainly through military
subjugation proved futile. Thus, the vision of the
American missionaries focused on the pacification of
the Igorots in the Cordilleras through evangelization
and education.
Bontoc, considered then as the most warlike and most
feared tribe was chosen as a center for evangelization
and education. The missionaries initially offered free
instruction in religious, academic, and voacational
courses, as well as Kindergarten and Grade 1 after
which children continued studies in government
established schools.
After World War II which saw the destruction of all the
mission buildings, except for the girl’s dormitory, the
mission underwent rehabilitation for fifteen years.
Finally, in 1955, the elementary school was re-
established, and a complete elementary program was
implemented.
The post-war decades saw the development of a high
standard institution that produced exceptional
graduates who, after receiving well-grounded
educational foundation in academic and Christian
values, successfully proceeded to secondary and
tertiary public and private colleges and universities.
Many alumni of the school went on to distinguish
themselves in their chosen fields of endeavor.
Perhaps, the most prominent was Dr. Hilary Pitapit
Clapp, the first Igorot doctor of medicine.
The missionary thrust of evangelization and
education proved successful since headhunting and
tribal wars have been completely eradicated in the
sub-province of Bontoc which has since become the
Mountain Province. In contrast, headhunting and
tribal conflicts in some hinterland communities in
Kalinga and elsewhere in the Philippine Cordilleras,
where missionary evangelization and education did
not reach, continue to pose problems for the civil
and miltary authorities.
ASMES joined other Christian schools in the
cordilleras in the formation of the Associaion of
Chritian Schools and Colleges (ACSC), now renamed
ACSCU, to include accredited universities. In 1988
ASMES was accredited by the Accrediting Agency of
ACSC and DECS (DepEd).
Upon the retirement of Principal Sofia Bacwaden and
other dynamic teachers, and the internal turmoil
that followed the granting of autonomy to the
Philippine Episcopal Church from the mother Church
in the USA, the school suffered a series of financial
and management problems, resulting in a decline in
student enrollment and the loss of credibility with
the community that it served.
For this reason, the Episcopal Diocese of Northern
Philippines (EDP) under the leadership of the
current Bishop Brent Alawas, initiated the
reincorporation of the school and established a
separate Board of Turstees that would oversee and
support school operations. All Saints Mission School
of Mountain Province, Inc., was registered in
November of 2011, following the appointment of
Dennis Faustino as Headmaster/Principal by a new
Board of Trustees, headed by Rufino Bomasang
starting SY 2011-2012.
ASMIS remains a church-related institution, situated
in church-owned land and buildings, though it
became autonomous in governance, administration,
and finance. All Saints Mission School, St. James
High School in Besao, and St. Mary’s School of
Sagada are now formally organized as a federation
of Episcopal Mission Schools in the Northern
Cordilleras, under the aegis of SPRINT (Schools for
Peace, Relevant Instruction for Nurturance and
Tolerance) a mother organization of Episcopal
Church schools in the country.
education proved successful since headhunting and
tribal wars have been completely eradicated in the
sub-province of Bontoc which has since become the
Mountain Province. In contrast, headhunting and
tribal conflicts in some hinterland communities in
Kalinga and elsewhere in the Philippine Cordilleras,
where missionary evangelization and education did
not reach, continue to pose problems for the civil
and miltary authorities.
ASMES joined other Christian schools in the
cordilleras in the formation of the Associaion of
Chritian Schools and Colleges (ACSC), now renamed
ACSCU, to include accredited universities. In 1988
ASMES was accredited by the Accrediting Agency of
ACSC and DECS (DepEd).
Upon the retirement of Principal Sofia Bacwaden and
other dynamic teachers, and the internal turmoil
that followed the granting of autonomy to the
Philippine Episcopal Church from the mother Church
in the USA, the school suffered a series of financial
and management problems, resulting in a decline in
student enrollment and the loss of credibility with
the community that it served.
For this reason, the Episcopal Diocese of Northern
Philippines (EDP) under the leadership of the
current Bishop Brent Alawas, initiated the
reincorporation of the school and established a
separate Board of Turstees that would oversee and
support school operations. All Saints Mission School
of Mountain Province, Inc., was registered in
November of 2011, following the appointment of
Dennis Faustino as Headmaster/Principal by a new
Board of Trustees, headed by Rufino Bomasang
starting SY 2011-2012.
ASMIS remains a church-related institution, situated
in church-owned land and buildings, though it
became autonomous in governance, administration,
and finance. All Saints Mission School, St. James
High School in Besao, and St. Mary’s School of
Sagada are now formally organized as a federation
of Episcopal Mission Schools in the Northern
Cordilleras, under the aegis of SPRINT (Schools for
Peace, Relevant Instruction for Nurturance and
Tolerance) a mother organization of Episcopal
Church schools in the country.
