HISTORY OF CAMALIGAN CENTRAL SCHOOL

 

HISTORY OF THE CAMALIGAN CENTRAL SCHOOL

by Dominador N. Marcaida Jr.

 

CAMALIGAN CENTRAL SCHOOL was opened in 1905, after three years that the Bureau of Education in the Philippines was organized. Classes of the first batch of pupils, who were organized in the municipality, were held in a two-room building made of light materials located in the Catalino Abilay lot where the Municipal Annex Executive Building now stands. From 1909 to 1912, classes were held in a rented building. In the latter part of 1912, classes were transferred to the two buildings that was erected on a one-half hectare lot donated by Don Tomas Salvador where the present school now occupies. By purchase and other donations, the school site was expanded to a two-hectare lot. Constancio Cordial (married to Hermogena Baldecia) donated the property adjacent to their lot at Barangay San Lucas to the Camaligan Central School, which has now become part of the property of Camaligan National High School. Catalina Abad, married to the prominent Bicolano writer Mariano Nicomedes and the mother of Mrs. Virginia N. Prado, was considered as one of the pioneer teachers of this school. So was Mr. Melanio Gerona, the son in law of Mrs. Catalina Abad Nicomedes,  who also became a former principal teacher of the said school. 

During the Japanese occupation, the school was converted by the Japanese occupying forces as a barracks for their soldiers. However, towards the end of the war in 1945, the local guerillas headed by Capt. Andres Diez were convened overnight by Major Barros and Major Juan Miranda in the main Gabaldon building of the school before they proceeded to launch a final major assault to the Japanese forces in Naga City. 

All throughout the more than hundred years of its existence, the school has produced numerous alumnus who were outstanding in their various fields of endeavor.

 

Sources:

1.   Jaime T. Malanyaon, “Our CASTEA Then and Now”;

2.   Danilo T. Gerona, “CAMALIGAN: Reliving A Thousand Years of History”;

3.   History of Bgy. San Lucas, Camaligan, CS; and

4.   Buenaventura M. Plantado Jr., “Ex-Mayor Buenaventura Plantado Sr.”.

  

dnmjr_13 Sept. 2023