History of Abar 1st Elem. School
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Transcript of History of Abar 1st Elem. School
Republic of the Philippinescentral luzon state universityinstitute of graduate studiesscience city of munoz, nueva ecija
ARNOLD G. ONIAMSED
Submitted to Dr. Eden G. AgcaoiliProfessor
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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BARANGAY ABAR 1 ST : THE EARLY BEGINNINGS
Barangay Abar derived its name from the giant “Abar Trees” that were lushly
abounding in the banks of the river traversing the barrio. Its first name was Union
Moncada, because the first settlers came from Moncada, Tarlac. During the Spanish
Regime, Barangay Abar was a hunting ground due to the abundance of wild boars in
what was then a forested area. It was also once a refuge for Filipino resistance group
led by Kapitan Cirilo Gomez struggling against Spanish domination. It was during the
American occupation in the 1930’s when the residents started to pour in the barangay.
The first ricemill was constructed in the area from 1936 to 1940. It catapulted the
prominence of the barangay in the municipality as its coffers increased so as the
income of its residents, and the population grew even bigger. As a result of the fast
migration of people, Barangay Abar was divided into two – the eastern part towards the
townhall was named Abar Primero and the western part going to Cabanatuan was
named Abar Segundo. During the Japanese War, the whole municipality of San Jose
was razed into the ground as a result of the bombings. Residents fled into the nearby
towns to seek refuge from the devastating effects of the war. It was during the liberation
after the war when the residents returned into Barangay Abar 1 st. The war brought
unprecedented changes in the barangay. The previously uninhabited, woody and
forested area now teemed with people with bright prospects of the near future. The
leaders who brought Barangay Abar 1st to what it is today includes Rufino Tagarino,
Melencio Estillore, Aurelio Gabriel, Camilo Rigos, Placido Aquino Jr., Cornelio Tagarino,
Eliseo Abello and Apolinario Buenaventura (from 1946 to the late 1970s).
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The Present Barangay Hall of Brgy. Abar 1st
ABAR 1 ST PRIMARY SCHOOL: TRACING THE PAST
Atty. Arturo Pascual, during his incumbency as the Alcalde Municipal in 1952 to
1963 (now the position is known as Municipal Mayor), initiated the establishment of
intermediate level schools in strategic barrios with at least a primary school in smaller
barrios. It was then in 1952 after the liberation that Abar 1 st Primary School was brought
into being. During that period, classes were held in private houses. The American
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Missionaries known as the Thomasites were the first teachers in the barangay. The
curriculum then focused on the three R’s – reading, writing and arithmetic. In 1968 to
1972, Atty. Arutro Pascual returned to local politics. It was during his second term as
ayor but his 1st term as City Mayor that he led the construction of Army Type, Pascual
Type and Marcos Type school buildings throughout the municipality. These were two
classrooms buildings made of concrete and galvanized iron roof. (It was in July 17,
1969 when then Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Republic Act No. 6051 also known
as “The Charter of San Jose City” authored by then congressman Angel D. Concepcion.
In August 10, 1969, Pres. Marcos formally organized the City Officials of San Jose City).
It was also during these years that Abar 1st Primary School was elevated to a complete
elementary school.
It was in the year 1971 when the first school building was constructed in Abar 1st
Elementary School through the initiative of the then Barangay Captain Camillo Rigos
and his councilors Lou Aquino, Romeo Villaroman, Ricardo Marquez, Remy Dela Cruz,
Eliseo Cabatit and Pedro Sanchez through the help of a civic-spirited couple - Dr.
Vicencio S. Del Pilar and Julita Velayo (now both deceased) who donated an elongated-
triangular lot measuring 5,197 sq.m. The said lot, forming part of the Marianas
subdivision owned by the couple, was donated in favor of the City government of San
Jose City under the administration of Mayor Arturo Pascual who initiated the
construction of a two classroom school building to house the classes. (The same lot
donated by Spouses Dr. & Mrs. Vivencio Del Pilar is still the present site where the
school is located.)
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Dr. Vivencio Del Pilar
ABAR 1 ST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL :
THE METAMORPHOSIS
In 1977, a three-room Bagong Lipunan School Building (BLSB) was constructed
to accommodate the increasing enrollees of the Abar 1st Elementary School. After two
years in 1979, another three-rooms Bagong Lipunan School Building was added to the
structures in the school. It was during the Martial Law and the incumbency of the then
President Ferdiand E. Marcos and Mayors Arturo Pascual (1969-1977), Demetrio
Pascual (August to November 1977), Rogelio Arevalo (November to December 1977)
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and Benjamin Saturno (1977 to 1979) when the classrooms were built. Schools were
administered then by the Secretary of the Department of Education under Presidential
Decree No. 1081 singed on September 24, 1972. On June 2, 1978, then President
Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1397, renaming the Department of Education to
Ministry of Education and Culture headed by the Education Minister.
During the incumbency of the then Mayor Amor B. Belena, a former BIR tax man
who succeeded Mayor Saturno from December 11, 1979 to May 15, 1986, two more
school buildings with five classrooms were built at Abar 1st Elementary School. In the
year 1984, a three classroom BLSB was erected. In the year 1985, a two-classroom
Kalayaan Building was added to the school. From 1977 to 1985, four concrete buildings
housing eleven classrooms were the main facilities of the school. In the year 1984, by
virtue of the Education Act of 1982, the Ministry of Education was reorganized into
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
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The entire Philippine Archipelago then witnessed the assignation of Senator
Benigno Aquino in August 21, 1983. And in 1986 his widow was put into office by a
bloodless revolution known worldwide as People Power 1. Then President Corzon C.
Aquino decreed that all government position be vacated. President Aquino appointed
into office Dr. Eleuterio Violago who replaced Atty. Amor B. Belena from May 16, 1986
to May 15, 1987. The city was left without a formal leader from May 16, 1987 to
December 2, 1987 until the appointment of as Atty. Antonio Paguia as city mayor from
December 3, 1987 to January 1, 1988. During the period of the revolutionary
government of the then President Cory Aquino, no structure was ever built at Abar 1st
Elementary School. The election in 1988 brought back Amor B. Belena in the helm of
the mayoralty in San Jose City. In 1989, a Home Economics building finance thru the
Country Wide Development fund of the then Congressman Simeon E. Garcia was
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added to the existing structures of the school to serve the needs of the pupils in home
economics.
It was during the incumbency of the then City Mayor Atty. Jose C. Felimon from
July 1, 1992 to June 30, 2001 when the number of classrooms at Abar 1 st Elementary
School mushroomed. The administration of then Mayor Felimon, through the funds of
the Local School Board, constructed 2 two-story school buildings totaling 12 rooms in
the school. In the year 1993, a six-classroom two-story school building now housing the
grade three pupils was constructed on the easternmost part of the school. In the year
1994, another six-classroom two-story school building was constructed and now houses
the office, one class each from the grade four and five, and three classes from the
grade six. In the same year also in 1994, the covered multi-purpose gymnasium where
various activities in the school are held was constructed. The multi-purpose gymnasium
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was constructed through the Conutry wide Development Fund (CDF) of Congressman
Dr. Eleuterio Violago. In the year 1998, another classroom was built in the school
funded by the CDF of Cong. Eleuterio Violago. And in the year 1990, a two-classroom
Aquino Type building was again constructed. The building now houses the school
canteen and a class from the grade 1.
Felimon Type School Building built in 1994
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The mayoralty of Atty. Alexander S. Belena July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2007 added
another two buildings totaling nine classrooms at Abar 1st Elementary School. The
school buildings were funded using the Local School Board fund derived from the
Special Education Fund (SEF) of the tax collected from real property.
The Multi-Purpose
Gymnasium built in 1994
thru the CDF of Cong. Violago
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At present, the school has 12 academic buildings with 33 classrooms. Each
classroom is with complete electrical and water installations, and is fitted with toilets to
cater to the needs of the pupils. The school also has a stage built in the early 1980’s
during a fund raising activity conducted to serve that purpose of building a decent stage
for the school. A multi-purpose gymnasium was constructed during the term of the then
congressman Dr. Elueterio Violago. The gym now covers the stage and is the spot
where the various academic, extra-curricular and various ceremonies and activites are
being conducted. The school also has a library, a science laboratory, a math room,
home economics cottage and a school canteen.
The Structures at Abar 1st Elementary School in Miniatures
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THE FOUNDING FATHERS: THE LEADERS WHO STEERED INTO A SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
Abar 1st Elementary School can be called a cradle of leaders in education since it
produced four District Supervisor from its roster of Principals. The earliest known
Principal of Abar 1st Elementary School was Mr. David Datayan who served in the late
1960’s to the early 1970’s. During that time, San Jose City West District, the school
district under the Division of Nueva Ecija where Abar 1st elementary School is clustered,
was then headed by Mr. Buenaventura Eugenio. Mr. Vicente Pascual succeeded Mr.
Datayan as Principal in the early years of 1970, but was promoted as District Supervisor
from June 1975 to May 1983. Came after him as a principal was Mrs. Leonila Elisango
from 1978 to 1983 and like Mr. Pascual, she was promoted as District Supervisor of
San Jose City East District in the succeeding years. During that time, students were
nearing a thousand and the numbers of teachers were more than twenty. Classes
during that time were already departmentalized and there were multiple sections per
grade level.
In the years 1983 until 1989 for a period of six years, the school was under the
administration of Mr. Eduardo Martinez. His immediate superiors then were District
Supervisor Hilaro G. Mengala who hold the helm at the San Jose City West District from
July 8, 1983 to August 10, 1985, and Cipriano B. Pacubas who stayed at the District
Office as Supervisor from January 1988 to Janaury 1990. Mr. Gregorio Eugenio
replaced Mr. Martinez after the latter retired in 1989. Mr. Eugenio served for 4 years
until 1994 under the then District Supervisor Angelita Dela Cruz. After Mr. Eugenio
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came Mr. Eliseo Cabatit. Mr. Cabatit as Principal II. Mr. Cabatit, a proud Boy Scout and
outstanding leader, was also part of the Barangay council who initiated the construction
of the first school building at Abar 1st Elementary School in 1971. Like his predecessors
Mr. Pascual and Mrs. Elisango, Mr. Cabatit also rose from the ranks and became the
District Supervisor of Lupao District. There were thirty two personnel then the principal
and the utility worker, and around one thousand two hundred (1,200) pupils.
Following the administratorship of Mr. Cabatit for one and a half years from 1994
to 1996, came Mrs. Catalina Pascual who served for years from 1996 to 1999. She
worked under the supervision of then District Supervisor Celia Toledo, who hailed from
LLanera. Mrs. Toledo worked at the District Office from August 5, 1996 to February 1,
2002. After Mrs. Catalina Pascual at Abar 1st Elementary School, Mr. Elpidio Santos
serve the school for a period of ten (10) months, after which he was appointed as
District Supervisor of Pantabangan District. His replacement was Mrs. Pricilla Ordinario,
who stayed at the Principal’s Office for almost five years from 1999 until 2004. She
worked under District Supervisor Clarita V. Abinales who stayed at the District Office
from September 11, 2002 until June 2007. Ms. Luisa G. Divina is the present
administrator carrying the position of Elementary School Principal III. She took her oath
of office in 2004. She collaborated to uplift the academic standards of pupils and
achieved excellence in various academic fields such as English, Science and
Mathematics with District Supervisors mrs. Abinales and Mrs. Plerida P. Payawal. The
latter worked very hard to multiple the number of teachers funded by the national office
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in the district. Under the stewardship of ms. Divina, the school was recognized in
number of competitions in the Division of Nueva Ecija.
Presently, Abar 1st Elementary School is considered the second biggest
elementary school in terms of enrolment in San Jose City West District. It is now
administered by a Principal III, the only school next to San Jose West Central School in
the entire city of San Jose to have such distinction to have a Principal III in its roster of
educators.
It has 33 nationally funded teachers and 3 Local School Board Teachers, and
with present enrollment at 1,700 pupils including the pre-elementary pupils. Out of the
33 teachers permanent teachers, two are Master Teacher II, three are Master Teacher
I, ten are Teacher III, four are Teacher II and there are 13 Teacher I. The present
administrator holds a Principal III position. The school also has a utility worker in its
payroll funded by the national government.
The School is located a kilometer away from the City Hall of San Jose City and
25 meters from Maharlika Hiway since it is located in the interior portion of the Pabalan
Subdivision. Brgy. Abar 1st on the other hand is the biggest barangay in San Jose City in
terms of population and land area, and the second biggest barangay in Nueva Ecija in
terms of population. It has 21 zones with approximately 18,279 residents and 3,389
households based on 2009 survey.
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References:1. Socio-Economic Profile, Brgy. Abar1st thru mrs. Filomena pdain, San Jose City
Library2. Various School Records at Abar 1st Elementary School3. Interview Accounts of Mr. Eliseo Cabatit, Mrs. Adelaida Tanedo and Mrs.
Dorotea Ilustre