Malasiqui NHS celebrates 25th year
DECEMBER 29 is a red-letter day for alumni of Malasiqui National High School (MNHS), the school’s celebration of its 25th founding anniversary.
Evilia Velasco, one of the school’s pioneer teachers who’s looking forward to seeing the schools hundreds of graduates, recalled how she together with 10 other teachers that included Principal Josefina De Vera, started the first class at MNHS (then an annex of Calasiao Comprehensive National High School) 25 years ago.
She said they used to conduct classes in the old Gabaldon building, which was abandoned by the Malasiqui Central Elementary School after it was damaged by the 1990 earthquake.
There were times when classes were being held under the trees just to accommodate students owing to lack of classrooms, Velasco said.
“It was in 1993 when the municipal officials thought of having a national high school in the town, which was a big and populous town at that time but had no national high school,” Velasco said.
Malasiqui then had three private high schools and 15 barangay high schools.
The town, led by then Mayor Oscar Lambino and Vice Mayor Armando Domantay Sr., through a Sangguniang Bayan (SB) resolution, asked the Department of Education Culture and Sports (now Department of Education) for the establishment of a public high school to make free education more accessible to the Malasiquinians.
The approval came in on June 7, 1993, MNHS (then an annex of Calasiao Comprehensive National High School) opened its door for enrollees after the town officials together with
Mrs. De Vera Pangasinan 1 officials.
The Parent Teachers and Community Association (PTCA) and municipal council worked together to raise funds for the school’s classroom tables, chairs and blackboards.
“The PTCA held a popularity contest in order to raise funds,” said Velasco.
On the same year, then Rep. Eric Galo Acuña filed House Bill No. 08532 that called for the establishment of a national high school to be known as Malasiqui National High School. It was later signed into law by then President Fidel V. Ramos as R.A. No. 07763.
“It is our pride that many of our students have become successful in their chosen careers as professionals. Some have become journalists, businessmen and women, nurses here and abroad, engineers, architects and some have chosen to become like us, teachers and are now our colleagues. Still some have become public servants,” said Velasco.
The celebration will start with a Thanksgiving Mass at 7:00 a.m. to be followed by a motorcade and the Grand Alumni Homecoming at 7:00p.m. at the Arenas Civic Center. (Contributed by Selma S. Capua)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
