Earl Ivan D.

Solamillo DCNHS
GAS 12 A-De Guzman

Conservation and Restoration of Gabaldon

Schoolhouses and Other Heritage School
Buildings
Recognizing the importance of Gabaldon Schoolhouses and other heritage school
buildings in the history of Philippine education, the Department of Education (DepEd) embarks
on the conservation and restoration of these school buildings to prevent their further
deterioration.

These schoolhouses are treated as important structures considering their architectural,

historical, social, and scientific significance. The passing of Republic Act (RA) No. 10066
“National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009″ and RA No. 11194 “Gabaldon School Building
Conservation Act” further proves the significance of these structures to Filipino heritage.

The classification of Gabaldon Schoolhouses based on their geographical and heritage

value is the primary consideration for all these structures. Built in the salient features of
traditional Philippine architecture and blended with the most innovative American construction
technology of the early 20th century, these schoolhouses designed by Architect William E.
Parsons generally housed significant historical events or were either visited or attended by
persons of national and international prominence.

Supporting cultural heritage isn’t easy. Every day, we’re faced with an onslaught of news
about historic sites being torn down in favor of a new commercial building or to make way for a
government project. And as much as I want to say that knowing all this charges us to do more,
that doesn’t always work that way. Outrage burns you out.

I mention this in honor of Isauro Gabaldón, a man who staunchly called out for Filipino
independence from America until doing so burnt his political spirit (he died before we gained
independence). On Jan. 18, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11194
or the Gabaldon School Buildings Conservation Act, which will protect the school buildings
named after Gabaldón. The law wouldn’t just implement conservation measures to protect the
buildings; it’ll also make an inventory of all the Gabaldon school buildings in the country.
 What’s a Gabaldon school building?

These were the Commonwealth-era school buildings that were made possible by R.A.
No. 1801, a bill Gabaldón had authored as a member of the Philippine Assembly in 1907. The
early-20th-century bill ensured that a million pesos would be allocated to the building of school
houses (especially in the provinces) to go alongside the newly-implemented free public
education system. The buildings were then designed by American architect William Parsons,
who had also been the architect behind the Paco Railroad Station and the first Manila Hotel. As
the Gabaldon School Buildings Conservation Act notes, the school buildings have a unique
infrastructure: “these one- to two-storey structures are H or U shaped buildings that distinctly
featured elevated flooring, Capiz-shelled windows with wooden frames, and classrooms
connected by corridors, among other unique characteristics.”

Some of the remaining Gabaldon schools are the San Juan Central School in San Juan,
Siquijor; the Gabaldon Building of the Abra State Institute of Science and Technology campus in
Bangued, Abra; three Gabaldon schools at Bayambang Central Elementary School in Dagupan,
Pangasinan; and the Pampanga High School in San Fernando, Pampanga, among many others.
“One hundred years later, many of these Gabaldons are still used as academic classrooms,
enduring the test of time and the tropical climate of the country,” the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation,
Inc. stated upon restoring six Gabaldon buildings in 2017.

Gabaldons are so beloved that an entire Facebook community is named after the fight to
restore it—SAVE the Gabaldons.
CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
Cognizant of Gabaldon Schoolhouses’ importance to Filipino education and culture,
DepEd, under the leadership of Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, took the initiative to
preserve their original architectural features and reinforce their structural integrity. In March
2018, the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration (OUA), through the Education
Facilities Division (EFD), officially introduced the Gabaldon Heritage Schools Restoration and
Conservation Project.

With the support and assistance from government institutions, DepEd is taking all
necessary measures to classify and preserve the remaining Gabaldon Schoolhouses in all regions.
These include the three cultural agencies – the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA). the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). and the National
Museum of the Philippines (NM); together with the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG) and Local Government Units, the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR). and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Gabaldon Schoolhouses and other heritage structures that are covered by the conservation
and restoration are:
a. school buildings designed and built by the Bureau of Architecture and Construction of Public
Buildings for the Bureau of Education from 1910 to 1940;

b. ancillary structures integral to the Gabaldon Schoolhouses; and

c. other heritage structures within the school complex.

The guidelines in the conservation and restoration of Gabaldon Schoolhouses and

heritage school buildings mandated in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA
11194 of 2019 shall be conformed with accordingly.

As part of the IRR of RA 11194, the Department will implement:

 the standard color scheme for the painting and repainting of previously renovated,
rehabilitated, or restored Gabaldon Schoolhouses; and
 the demolition of nearby structures that obstruct the facade of Gabaldon Schoolhouses.
DepEd Regional and Division Engineers shall oversee the conservation and restoration of
these Gabaldon Schoolhouses and heritage school buildings. The OUA-EFD Gabaldon Heritage
Schools Restoration and Conservation Project Team shall provide technical assistance in the
preparation of plans and conservation and restoration procedures. Furthermore, The NHCP and
NCCA shall also provide technical assistance in the implementation of the project, particularly in
the conduct of consultation meetings with stakeholders to explain the importance of conserving
and restoring these historical structures.

The Gabaldon Heritage Schools Restoration and Conservation Project not only safeguards
the schoolhouses’ appearance and functionality, but also guarantees that more Filipinos will be
made aware of their pivotal role in shaping the nations public school system. Moreover, it hopes
to instill among the younger generation that sense of place and pride and for them to treasure
their time in these historical edifices as much as their ancestors did.

Traditionally, cultural heritage is an expression of the various ways of living developed by a

society and passed on through generations, including customs, practices, objects, artistic
expressions, and values. Cultural heritage is often expressed as either tangible or intangible.As
part of human activity, cultural heritage generally produces tangible representations of its value
systems, beliefs, traditions, and lifestyles—such as visual art and architecture—as well as the
intangible, which includes voices, values, traditions, oral history, spiritual ceremonies, and
storytelling.
Our world sits at a dramatic juncture; there is change afoot in all walks of life. As new fields
of scientific knowledge and innovation spring up all around us, we risk losing our sense of
personal balance and integrity, as well as our sense of collective moral values and wisdom. As
we quest for guidance, the world’s rich contemplative wisdom traditions call to us—religious
and non-religious alike—with their thousands of years’ history of developing a broad array of
practical applications for achieving human good.

Wisdom lineage holders, intellectuals, artists, and teachers have long offered incisive
analyses of the fundamental existential problems of suffering and identity, as well as a rich array
of contemplative practices designed to mitigate suffering and build new identities—pathways
leading to personal and collective transformation.

To realize the full benefit of this rich legacy for the world, we must go beyond traditional
religious boundaries and come to understand how such contemplative practices can be applied in
the world around us, across all societies.
 EARL IVAN D. SOLAMILLO DCNHS

GAS 12 A-DE GUZMAN

“SANDY TOES, CLEANER COAST”

Beaches are an important element of
people's life. In addition to a variety of
hobbies, they can help to mitigate climate
change. Beaches protect residents living.
near the coast by acting as a buffer against
violent storms' high winds and waves, and
they also assist promote economic activity
in local areas, A "Clean-Up Drive" seeks to

promote environmental awareness

across different communities. The
following are the additional aims of our
program: to improve the community's
capacities by boosting commerce and trade, to attain or practice the behavior in the waste management and recycling
business.

Clean-up efforts do raise awareness about the magnitude of the litter problem and encourage people to consider
changing their behavior. Clean-up efforts are also an effective approach to unite communities and make people more
appreciative of their shared environment communities together and make people more appreciative of their shared
environment through strengthening social bonds.

Benefits of Coastal Clean-ups

1. To protect marine animals 2. To preserve our natural environment

3. To remove toxic chemicals from the water

4. It benefits the community-

5. To create a safer environment

6. To able to dispose of trash properly

7. To make seafood safer

8. To connect with people

ADVOCACY