The establishment of a public education system was one of
the most important legacies of the American colonial regime in the Philippines.
Most school buildings were damaged and lost during the Philippine American War,
so the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 268 creating the Bureau of
Architecture and Construction of Public Buildings, with the task of erecting school houses all
over the country.
To underscore the importance of this mission, right after
the Philippine Assembly was formed in 1907, Assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon of
Nueva Ecija authored Act No. 1801, known today as Gabaldon Act, which
appropriated Php 1 Million between 1907-1915 for the "construction of
schoolhouses of strong materials in barrios with guaranteed daily attendance of
not less than sixty pupils."
The Gabaldon Act stipulated that each school was to be
built at a cost not to exceed Four Thousand Pesos unless the municipality
contributed a counterpart sum of not less than fifty percent of the total amount
granted. The municipality was authorized to appropriate its own funds, receive
voluntary contributions in cash, kind, or in manual labor, for the construction
of schoolhouses.
To facilitate the building of the schools, the Bureau of
Public Works and Bureau of Education came up with standardized designs. These were
known as "Gabaldon School Buildings" or simply "Gabaldon,".
Their distinctive features echo the
bahay kubo design, with the body of the building elevated on short concrete
posts, swinging capiz windows for maximum ventilation, carved fretwork on top
of walls to allow air to circulate and a raised roof clad in galvanized iron.
In Pampanga, a few examples of these Gabaldon School Buildings could still be found, some
untouched by time, while others, though
heavily rebuilt, still retain vaguely their distinctive Gabaldon features.
**********
PICTURE SOURCES:
Apalit, Sulipan Gabaldon, courtesy of Sta. Maria Minalin Archives
Arayat Gabaldon, iorbit news
Capas Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Ivan Henares, Gabaldon
Legacy
Floridablanca Gabaldon, maipo.net
Lubao Gabaldon, wikipedia, Lubao, Pampanga
Mabalacat Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Leo Cloma
Magalang Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Louie Bartolo Lacson
Mexico Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Jonathan Panganiban
San Luis Gabaldon, from san Luis Elementary School FB
page
San Simon, Sta. Ana, Sta. Rita Gabaldon, www.pampangatalents.com
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