HISTORY of COMPOSTELA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

COMPOSTELA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL is located along Purok 7, Lapu-lapu St., Poblacion,
Compostela, Compostela Valley. The three-hectare school site is bounded west by Compostela
Central Elementary School and Maputi Creek in the East. It is facing south strategically located
along municipal road while a wide oval field is found in its rear area.
“If you don’t know HISTORY… you don’t know anything. You are like a leaf that doesn’t know it
is part of a tree.”
Michael Crichton
The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.
Theodore Roosevelt
The HISTORY OF COMPOSTELA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
More than 50 years ago, our old folks needed to traverse the strong water current of Agusan
River towards Bankerohan of the nearby town, Montevista. Also, the younger ones needed to
take a long walk, as they experienced scorching pain of the sun’s heat during sunny days and
freezing coldness with dampened clothes on rainy days just to reach Nabunturan town, where a
high school was already established. Majority of Compostela people then / could not afford / the
economic requirement / in sending their children /to high school,/ thus,/ many /did not pursue/
higher education /and just helped their parents /in the farm /and /remained educationally frail//.
This scenario / became the challenge/ for then Mayor Pio Galenzoga to take a major step /in
bringing education closer /and accessible /to the people of Compostela / and / their clamour /
and dream / of acquiring high school education / became a reality…
Thus, On August 10, 1966, Compostela Central Community High School was established
inspired by the person named Pedro Orata who is the father of barangay high school. The newly
born high school was placed under the supervision of Mr. Felipe Flores, then supervisor of the
district of Compostela in which he assigned Mrs. Leonida P. Garcia, then Guidance Counselor
Coordinator as in charge, who in turn tapped Mrs. Rosita T. Hinacay as adviser of one section in
First Year composed of 25, mostly matured students.
Classes were held in the evening after the elementary pupils have left their classrooms. The
kerosene fuelled lamps called (petromax) were the only illumination and witnesses of how
difficult high school education was attained.
As it continued to grow with the addition of more sections, more teachers were also reinforced,
Mrs. Macaria C. Fajardo, Mrs. Aida Anito and Mr. Crispin Agustin and Mrs. Aida Flores and
Some elementary teachers were asked to handle other subjects.
During those times, the teachers relied on the P10.00 tuition fee of the students for their
honorarium and for other expenditures of the school. The collection was not enough to meet
their needs and that of the school, that increasing the fee would drive the students home and
would lead them to stop schooling. So, the teachers then had resorted into sponsoring benefit
dance (sayawan), where / they themselves / served as primary dancers.
In 1969, Compostela Central Community High School was already a complete high school.
Changes were noted in the school : Mrs. Carlosa Apog was added in the rank of teachers,
classes were shifted to day sessions and it was turned over to the management of Barangay
Poblacion, hence, became Compostela Barangay High School. Upon the exit of Mrs. Leonida P.
Garcia in 1977 who was then assigned in another district, Mrs. Juanita V. Ocampo became the
assistant principal. She initiated the house-to-house campaign during enrolment period and this
approach was effective, that students’ population increased. After three years, she was
promoted as Division Nutrition Supervisor.
After serving the school for ten years as a teacher, Mrs. Rosita Hinacay was appointed as the
Head Teacher thereafter. During her administration, Late afternoon classes (LAC) was opened
which started classes at 3: 00 o’clock in the afternoon to address / the plight / of the laborers/ in
the nearby banana plantation/ giving them opportunity/ to finish their high school education.
More elementary teachers were hired to augment the instruction and rescheduling were made
since classes in the Elementary school ended at 4:30 in the afternoon. LAC started at 5:00 in
the afternoon and ended at 9:00 in the evening. This time they did not use “Petromax” anymore
because electricity is already servicing the community.
In 1984, Mr. Alexander Quiba became the fourth school principal, as appointed by Mr. Ramon
Y. Alba, then Schools Division Superintendent of Davao Province. He, together with Mr.
Potenciano Garcia Sr., then PTA President initiated the transfer of control of the Barangay High
school to the Municipal Government. Thus, with the approval of then / Mayor Senen B. Suarez,it
became Compostela Municipal High School. He left CNHS in 1986 because she was promoted
as Principal of Davao Provincial High School. By then , its population already reach to more
than 800 students.
The fifth in line / of the administrators / was Mrs. Gertrudes B. Diwara. Gradually, she took the
initiative to pull-out from the Compostela Central Elementary school compound / and utilized
rooms under the Grandstand and its bleachers were improvised as temporary classrooms. More
teachers were admitted. This time, a three-hectare land property was finally titled and
apportioned to the high school. It was a breakthrough of unprecedented donations from the
municipal and provincial government, international organizations like the USAID as well as from
the PTA support. Subsequently, several school buildings were constructed.
Moreover, it was on this time that a law was enacted to nationalize all municipal high schools,
the Republic Act No. 6655 otherwise known as “Free Secondary Education Act of 1988”.
Nationalizing the school was the pivotal point and a springboard to be significantly recognized. It
became the most solace relief for Compostela Municipal High school to become Compostela
National High school.
In 1991, Mr. Ignacio E. Marty was assigned by the Division Office as School Principal II. By
then, Student population had rapidly increased to the point of oversized classes, shortage in
classrooms and teachers. Being a newly legislated National High school, collection of fees was
discouraged yet to solve the current state, he reorganized the PTA to augment support for the
school. In effect, Seventeen teachers were hired to meet the classroom instruction needs of
more than one thousand five hundred students. Through the support and assistance from the
parents, local government, provincial government and office of the representative, additional
buildings were built and constructed/ utilized as classrooms,/ offices, library and laboratory
which were imperative in molding the youth of Compostela.
On 1996, In line with the Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS) modernization
program as a component of the Philipppines 2000 advocacy of the Ramos Administration, Hon.
Rogelio Sarmiento, /former representative of the Davao Province, initiated the breeding of
Computer Literacy Program which is Computer aided instruction and making Compostela NHS
as the Regional Pilot School of the Future, the first of its kind in terms of academic instructions
in Region XI. On September 6, of the same year, the first School of the Future Computer
Training in Mindanao was launched.
Furthermore, during the last part of his administration, Mr. Ignacio E. Marty, recommended to
bring secondary education to the doorsteps of the barangays to meet the pressing demand of
the public and with the sincerity of the public officials, this paved way to the opening of
secondary schools in the different barangays of Compostela. Six annex high schools have
offered equally important educational services. It is deemed assured that there is no reason for
illiteracy to exist/now/ that schools have reached their neighbourhood.
After the retirement of Mr. Ignacio E. Marty, Mrs. Cresencia Lamoste became the Officer In
charge for almost a year followed by Mrs. Rosita Paican, as designated by the Division Office
who rendered service for more than a year.
Subsequently, Mrs. Macaria Fajardo was promoted and was assigned as the new school
principal. Compostela NHS then/ already served / more than three thousand students and had
88 teaching and non-teaching force including in the annexes. It expanded its services through
the continuation of its late afternoon classes, skill training program, literacy remedial classes,
and non-formal education assisted by the municipal government. Compostela NHS then
became an entry and won in the National Search for the Best Implementer of DepEd’s Health
and Nutrition Program in 2004.
Like Mrs. Macaria Fajardo, four former mentors and also residents of the municipality of
Compostela who were promoted and assigned in different High schools in Compostela Valley
as School heads returned to Compostela National High and assumed office as School
Principals. In the persons of Mr. Eugenio A. Apresa, Mrs. Anselma S. Campos, Mrs. Delfina B.
Letegio and Dr. Gernaldine O. Perez. From year 2005 until recently.
All of them have contributed greatly to what Compostela National High have become like
engaging several stakeholders to construct school buildings and classrooms like the KALAHI
foundation, the USWAG building courtesy of former governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy and the HE
building courtesy of Hon. Amatong, former representative of the 2nd district of Compostela
Valley; hiring new breed of teachers who are globally competitive, Creating Special programs
like the Special Science class and Interventions like Open High School program and summer
classes. Also, giving full support in different activities and eventually Compostela National High
School won in different curricular and extra-curricular activities from Division up to National
Level.
In 2012, Super Typhoon Pablo hit Mindanao and Compostela suffered the worst. School
buildings and properties were destroyed. The school was a haven of several displaced families
for months, classes were opted into two sessions until the evacuees returned to their homes.
On October 2016, Mr. Ritchell E. Cruz, the school Principal Manat National High School in
Nabunturan was promoted and assigned in Compostela NHS as School Principal IV.
Mr. Cruz’ arrival in the school had given the teachers a regenerated passion-drive for
commitment of service and excellence.
This school year, 2017-2018 Mr. Ritchell E. Cruz, with the head teachers, master teachers and
subject area coordinators initiated the creation of Special Programs which are now in effect to
give the students the privilege of developing and enhancing their potentials in their field of
interest namely Special program in Journalism, Special Program in the arts and the Special
program in Sports was revived in every year level.
With the assistant principal, Mr. Nicolas Cabahug, designated to take charge of the Senior High
shool, administration became more efficient.
Recently, two buildings are under construction, a 4 storey classroom and a 3-storey classroom
funded by the national government. While these two buildings are yet to be finished, double shift
schedule was adopted to resolve the classroom shortage due to the opening of the Grade 12
Senior High School Program.
At present, Compostela NHS has a total of 4634 student-learners. These students are catered
by 168 faculty and staff coming from both Junior High School and Senior High School programs.
The school now offers General Academics (GAS), Science Technology Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy, Business and Management in the Academic Track.
Meanwhile, Computer Programming, Cookery, Beauty Care, Computer Hardware Servicing and
Electrical Installation Maintenance in the TVL track of the K to 12 Senior High School
Curriculum.
Just like any other institution, with the frailties and weaknesses of the individuals who form part
of this organization, Compostela National High school also experienced conflicts, troubles, and
setbacks in the past, yet these challenges made this organization strong like a molave tree and
a stand like boulders in the coast, and the true fruit of its success is bestowed upon the
thousands of graduates who became successful in their respective choices of careers.
Compostela NHs has produced thousands of graduates who became professionals in different
fields like in the field of business, education, medicine and public service rendering service not
just here in our locality, but also in other places in our country and all over the world.
Compostela National High school has come a long way since 1966... its development now at
hand is only reaped upon an inheritance of more than five decades of tedious hardships. This
school should have retained its poor dormancy if not because of the unselfish and concerted
effort being exhausted by all teachers, parents, barangay officials, municipal government
officials, provincial government officials and the whole community.
Looking back at its humble beginning ,Compostela National 
High remained true to its mandate in providing the most needed secondary education of the
town. It continuously aims to attain the highest standards of a learning institution and its untiring
effort to achieve academic excellence, discipline and leadership among its people as it
showcase its brand name … Center stage of Education Performance of Compostela Valley.
Credits to:
Araling Panlipunan Department
Sir Eugenio A. Apresa
The late Sir Rufo L. Rellita
Sir Gerry Miasco