A CENTURY-OLD Gabaldon building at Kapangan Central School in Barangay Poblacion Central is being eyed as a historical tourism site in Kapangan, Benguet.
Following the turnover of the refurbished building, Mayor Manny Fermin discussed plans of listing the area with the Provincial Tourism Office to become one of the local and historical tourism spots as part of the oldest schools in Kapangan.
Undersecretary Alain del Pascua of the Department of Education (DepEd) led the turnover of the P14-million restored Gabaldon building, including the construction of a school dental clinic witnessed by DepEd-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) officials and the local government of Kapangan.
Fermin said the local government pledged to help in the preservation of the heritage school by installing barriers to protect its façade.
Aside from Kapangan Central School, the mayor also lobbied to the education department for the renovation of three other Gabaldon structures in the town located in Barangays Paykek, Balakbak and Cuba.
The old schools, he added, were utilized in the past as a garrison.
He thanked the DepEd for funding the renovation of the school.
More than 600 heritage Gabaldon buildings were already restored in the country, according to Pascua.
For the last four years, more than 600 Gabaldons were restored out of the 1,500 by DepEd, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), National Museum and the National Historical Commission (NHC) who lent technical expertise in preservation and rehabilitation of structures.
Gabaldons were designed by American architects who used the bahay kubo as inspiration.
Pascua said that to date, P300 million was already allocated for the restoration of the school buildings and they will ask Congress to increase it to P1 billion.
He said the restoration of the heritage school buildings will continue. The four agencies adhere to standard colors and materials used for the restoration of the buildings.
"The point why we are restoring this are the first school houses, that is used for public education, it becomes part of heritage and national patrimony," he said.
For each Gabaldon, Pascua said the history of each heritage school building will also be showcased.
Pascua added they always tell local government units that once the Gabaldon are restored, they must maintain and preserve the structures, citing a law that mandates for Gabaldons not to be demolished.
President Rodrigo Duterte on January 18, 2019 signed Republic Act 11194, which seeks to preserve the architectural, historical and social significance of Gabaldon school buildings, heritage school houses built in the Philippines from 1907 to 1946.
This includes school buildings designed by American Arch. William Parsons and funded through Act 1801, authored by Isauro Gabaldon.
Under the law, all Gabaldon school buildings shall be recognized as built heritage and, therefore, be included as part of cultural properties underthe National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.