Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Lapus inaugurates restored century-old school building
EDUCATION Secretary Jesli Lapus will keynote the inauguration Wednesday of the newly restored Gabaldon building, one of the oldest landmarks in the country.
The Gabaldon building located at the Zamboanga East Central School (ZECS), which was originally built during the American period on an 871.6-square meter lot, was rehabilitated with local government funds.
Mayor Celso Lobregat said the renovation of the building started in July this year and cost the local government P7.9 million.
Lobregat said the restoration of the Gabaldon building project is one of the heritage conservation efforts of the City Government and is considered a priority of his administration.
The newly restored Gabaldon building has four classrooms, music and computer rooms, a library and a principal's office. It will be occupied by the Grade VI pupils.
The project was one of the heritage sites featured in the November 8 seminar dubbed "Philippine Towns and Cities: Reflections of the Past, Lessons for the Future", hosted by the City Government.
The Gabaldon type buildings were established through Republic Act (RA) 1801 known as the Gabaldon Act authored by then assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon of Nueva Ecija.
Under the RA 1801, between 1907 and 1915, P1 million was appropriated for the construction of schoolhouses of strong material in the barangays with a guaranteed daily attendance of no less than 60 students.
In 1911, at least 51 Gabaldon buildings were constructed in the country and 405 others were completed in 1916, bringing the total number of classrooms to 1,852, where 377 of which were made of concrete.
Lobregat is inviting all the alumni of ZECS, formerly known as Burleigh School, to attend the inauguration of the newly reconstructed structure on Wednesday.
Lobregat said the affair is an opportune time for the alumni to revisit their historic Alma Mater and bear witness to another historic event that shows the restored original beauty and architectural design of the century-old school building.
Lapus arrived in this city Tuesday afternoon and was met at the airport by local government, city and regional Department of Education officials. (Bong Garcia)
