Rizal Memorial Colleges was officially incorporated and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 5, 1948. RMC was formed by a group of young men, mostly alumni of colleges and universities in Metro Manila. The first Board of Trustees was composed of Leopoldo M. .Abellera, chairman and first RMC President, Ireneo D. Benavidez, secretary, Jose M. Shotwell, treasurer, and other members, Vicente Casiño, Roque Yulo, and Antonio Buenaventura. Atty. Leopoldo M. Abellera, later became a Court of Appeal Justice and chair of the Land Transportation Office.

In its first operation in 1948, RMC started with 520 students. The courses then were the first two years of commerce, first year of the Liberal Arts, Law, and a one-year Secretarial course. Later, the third and fourth years of Commerce, second year of Liberal Arts and Law were offered. These courses were completely offered on the next succeeding years, to include a 4-year Normal and Education courses. The complete Elementary and High School programs were offered since the school started in 1948.

As enrollment increased more academic programs were offered. The Agricultural program in 1977, the Graduate program in 1982, the Distance Secondary Education Program (Sunday School) in 1983, a 4-year Secretarial Administration course in 1985, the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics course in 1985, and the Criminology program in 1997. Additional majors are opened under each program, all duly recognized by the government. A 6-month Caregiver Course duly registered with TESDA and started operating in 2004 with its first batch of fifteen (15) students.

RMC prides itself to have produced graduates who have topped national government examinations, a second-placer in the examination for Certified Public Accountants during the 60s, 6th placer in the Licensure Examination for Criminologists on May 2006. The Education program consistently produced annual passers for the Licensure Examination for Teachers.

RMC has suffered two big destructive fires that hit the city, first in 1964 and next in 1970. Undaunted, RMC launched a vigorous program of reconstruction and expanding its campus to the rolling hills of the Quiambao Heights in the middle of the 70’s. The five hectare land is site to an 4,000 capacity gymnasium. Two concrete buildings house the Elementary and High School classrooms, libraries, laboratories and offices. Two separate buildings house the College of Criminology, Caregiver, Education, Arts & Sciences, Commerce, Agriculture and DSEP during Sundays. Another fire in January 31, 2003 razed down the Engineering, and Technology building along with a newly-renovated chemistry and physics laboratory, the ROTC and VP for Administration offices. The most recent fire was in December 2008.

An air – conditioned Educational Media Center can house 200 viewers at a given time. Its DXRA radio station serves as a training venue for communication classes as it promotes government and religious programs extending public service and wholesome entertainment.

Today, RMC has its basic education programs re-accredited Level II and three Higher Education programs, Education, Liberal Arts and Commerce/Business Administration re-accredited Level II, all housed at the campus at Lopez Jaena Street, Davao City.

Guided by the dreams of our National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal to make available widespread educational opportunities to all, Rizal Memorial Colleges continues to make concrete steps in developing students into becoming competent and productive members of society and in promoting the government’s program of nation-building.