The Guidance Office, SMU- Golden Jubilee Souvenir Program (1928-1978) started with two programs in the School Year 1974-1975. These were the Group Guidance and Physical Examination. 

The Group Guidance Program makes possible the guidance of small groups of students by the faculty advisers.  These small group meet regularly to discuss relevant topics decided upon by both students and advisers. The program has the following aims: 1. To discover students with hidden or inherent talents and to help them develop their potentialities by recommending them for membership in the various school organization; 2. To spot students with problem and to help them found solutions to these problems; and 3. To extend assistance to students who find difficulties with their academic work.

During these years; 1974-1975, Saint Mary’s College Guidance and Testing Office serve a college population of 2379, besides a high school student of 588 and elementary school children numbering 922, totaling 3089 students. The Guidance and Testing Office of the College has served not only its own students but also students of the different high school of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao and Quirino.

In 1971-1974, the Guidance Office was designated as Test Center of the FAPE College Entrance Test of the 1973 (The First) NCEE for the past 4 years, it has administered, scored, and interpreted Psychological Test to CICM Secondary School of the prelature of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya and has assisted these said schools in making their guidance and testing programs functional. It has extended the services to 47 high schools (from Private and Public) guidance counselors of Region II, in coordination with SMC Graduate School and funded by CICM US promotion, it sponsored a summer institute in guidance last April – May, 1974 (SMU Golden Jubilee Book, 1928-1978). 

The College Guidance Center sponsored an Orientational Seminar for Administrators and Guidance Counselors of all Catholic Secondary Schools of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino last July 11, 1974 at SMC’s Guidance Center. 

Miss Dalisay Browner and Miss Sofia Juanino who are both guidance counselor composed the project staff. They conducted the lectures about the place of guidance in the educational system; 1. It’s aims and services of the guidance program and 2. It’s aims and activities of the project itself. The objectives of orientation seminar is in line with the mission of helping school and implement the guidance program as requested by the Bureau of the Private Schools. The Objectives are; 1. To increase awareness of all school personnel’s of the tremendous potentialities in the Education of the Filipino Youth through Guidance and Counseling; 2. To help schools plan for effective participation in meeting the socio-economic goals of the new society through youth value formation, attitude change and flexibility to adjust to a rapidly changing society. 

The Guidance Office during the year; 1974-1975 was located to room A-206, launches a remedial program to assist students with difficulties in their academic load. The remedial program started during the second semester to help students who are failing to their midterm grades. In this respect, students having failing grades are requested to report in the Guidance Office for remedial work. Failing students of English1a and English1b who wants to avail themselves to this opportunity were given individual exercises depending on their needs. Covering grammar, reading skills, and composition. 

Under the SMC Guidance Program for 1974-1975, the guidance office aims ;1. To provide leadership in the orientation program.;2. To administer, correct and interpret standardized test when needed; 3. To gather and keep personal data records of all students enrolled; 4. To extend assistance to individual students experiencing difficulties and problems in their academic work, personal adjustment, health matters, financial matters, and other related matters;5. To help students discover and develop their talents and interest;6. To revive the homeroom guidance program; and 7. To cooperate with the Administration in maintaining discipline in the classroom and in the campus.

During the late years of 1970’s to the early part of 1980’s, the Guidance Office was located at Gym lobby, 2nd floor. In the early 1980’s the SMC-GTO was transferred to a new location at the 3rd floor of Library Building. Mrs. Paz Gamma (+) as the Head, Miss Maria Theresa Bautista and Miss Nena Padilla. After 2 years, Mrs. Gajes (+) took over for one semester with Mrs. Tessy Jandoc as the Office Secretary. Mrs. Bautista and Mrs. Padilla were the Guidance Counselors together with Mrs. Leonora Damaso. 

In the school year 1981-1982, the two young lady counselors were sent for seminar classes (trainings and workshops) related to Guidance and Counseling in Manila to enhance and update the guidance office regarding the improvement of the guidance program. As an offshoot of these trainings and workshops the SMC-GTO is now offering for Peer Counselor training to interested students who were recommended by the teacher-adviser in the college level. 

It was in 1983 when Dr. Leonora L. Damaso took over as the Head of the SMC-GTO when Mrs. Gamma left for another country, her staff were Miss Maria Theresa Bautista, Miss Nena Padilla, Mr. John Tayaban, Mrs. Aurora Saquing, and Miss Zenaida Academia as the office secretary. There was six Guidance Services namely: Information Service, Counseling Service, Individual Analysis/Testing Service, Research and Evaluation, Placement and Follow-up Service and Extension Service. 

During the 2nd semester of School Year 1984-1985, Mrs. Lorvin Adducul was transferred to the SMC-GTO as the office secretary. The head during the time was Dr. Leonora Damaso with the mentioned staff in previous paragraph. It was observed that during this year till the year Mrs. Adducul finished her Baccalaureate of BSED-Guidance and Counseling, Peer Counselors Training is yearly conducted to interested students across all level and departments. The counselor in charge was Miss Bautista with Miss Nena Padilla. The trained PCs served as Peer tutors in academic endeavor (assisting in Math subject); adjustment to new school environment. 

In the early years of 1990s, additional guidance counselor were hired:  Miss Grace Tindaan and Mrs. Alona Costales respectively. Two years prior to the 1990s, Drop- In Center’ located at the third floor of the Library Building (adjacent to the GTO) was created for active and dedicated Peer Counselors. PC free time was rendered for accommodating their schoolmates and friends of academic tutoring particularly in Math. Communication skills and College Life survival were introduced in order to help students find some coping techniques of adjusting to new environment in their “new home, away from home”.

When Mrs. Adducul finished her Guidance degree in 1999, she was assigned as the adviser for Peer Counselors until 2000. The years when the GTO was transferred to CL Building, first floor. PCs during these years composed of Guidance majors and non-guidance majors. These were the students who are trained as PC and willingly helped in the implementation of the different guidance services which are within their capabilities.

In the year 2001-2002, the SMU- GTO was again transferred to another building A-101 with Mrs. Ester Cantong as the Head. Mrs. Ruby Lyn Nuestro took over the advisorship of the PC which was named as “Marian Peer Counselor”. PAASCU accreditors found out that SMU-PCs has given commendable points for the implementation of SMU- Guidance Program. From their efforts, Peer Counselor’s Office was created which adjacent to the Guidance and Testing Office. Since this organization is helping the counselors not only in implementing the guidance services, they also served as model and facilitators of the MHYLDP (a program of the Dean of Student Affairs’ Office). The PC Office was also assigned as the Teen Center in 2003 with Miss Rachel Lapitan as the PC adviser. Currently, this small office served as two offices for (PC Office and Teen Center).

The SMU-GTO is continuously active in the implementation of the different guidance services with the help of the MPCs. And in so doing, when in the year 2008, Mrs. Adducul was assigned as the personnel in-charge of the office, she made her best of crafting an outline program to MPC. Mr. Bon Homme Richard Torres as the adviser up to the present. Trained MPCs do not only served as tutors but also served as co-facilitators and trainers of Leadership, Team Building and Peer Counseling Seminars and Workshops. The name of the organization was also changed as MPCO (Marian Peer Counselors Organization) since S. Y. 2010-2011 when the “Shepherding Way in Spirit” was introduced as the way the Guidance Program be implemented. How is “Shepherding Way and Spirit” differ in tutoring program of MPC? Shepherding is journeying with peers from the time they enter college up to the to the time they graduate. Tutoring is staying or being together to finish a certain topic of academic difficulty until the subject area is understood by the client/student. 

The Guidance Program was intensified from 2009 to the present with the six guidance services (SMU-GTO Guidance Program, 2009). An inclusion of additional services under the Counselling Service were introduced like consultation, referrals and the program for OFW children. With these reasons and intensive PC and leadership training for Marina students was also intensified having a focus on Marian volunteerism. Leadership, immersion, support group and empowerment.