Gabaldon Building

Category: Significant Immovable Heritage
District of Numancia

Background Information

Pictures of Gabaldon building of Numancia Elementary School now Numancia Integrated School.

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Photo credits: Michael V. Solina, May 24, 2023

A. TYPE	[ ] GABALDON [ ] MARCOS TYPE	[ ] IMELDA TYPE [ ] OTHER
B. OWNERSHIP	[/ ] PUBLIC	[ ] PRIVATE

C. ADDRESS/LOCATION/COORDINATES (Longitude & Latitude):

D. AREA: 1. Total Land Area: no longer occupied

2. Structure: cemented

E. YEAR CONSTRUCTED/ESTIMATED AGE: 1950’s

F. OWNERSHIP/JURISDICTION: Numancia Integrated school

G. DECLARATION/LEGISLATION: none

Description

Physical Description

A ruined black rectangular cemented type structure is measuring 96cm base length, 84cm width at a height of 93 to 104cm up to 105cm. It extends up to 18cm from the width of 93cm. It is found at the back of SPED-LWD room/conference room.

The ruined exit stairs along Marcos building measure 96 cm in length, similar to the length in the entrance stair. It is found in front of Ms. Nikki Templonuevo’s classroom.

History of the Structure

In 1946-1948, Dr. Reinalda Ibabao Magdaluyo, an alumna of Numancia Elementary School, now Numancia Integrated School, spent her intermediate grades in the central school. The rooms then were temporary and were built with “butong and pawod” with cemented flooring aligned straight fronting the national highway. Upon entering the gate along F. Kimpo Street, was the office of the District Supervisor, now Public Schools District Supervisor (PSDS), and the Principal’s office and at far end is the Home Economics Building which is still evident until now.

Dr. Magdaluyo testified that in the 1950s, the said building with long-elevated classroom had a wooden floor, stairs, and a base as the foundation with "silong", or a base underneath the floor. She calls it a "semi-permanent building". They are lined along Marcos Buildings.

In the 1960s, Mrs. Florentina “Puyen” E. Fulgencio, retired Home Economics teacher, narrated that there were six rooms made of “butong and pawod”, aligned straight along the national highway including the Kindergarten room and the H. E. building next to it. Along F. Kimpo Street was the entrance gate, office of the District Supervisor, Principal’s office and a library under Consortia Maypa.

The semi-permanent building then, which she called the “new building” had an entrance stair at the center and an exit stair on its far right. With the advent of having complete elementary level and being the central school in Numancia, the said building was used in 1950s.

Status

[ ] Occupied [/ ] Not occupied

Stories Associated with the Structure

Since semi -permanent building were long elevated classrooms made of wood and was typically built with “silong”, or with concrete stilt base on the floor, it serves as ground floor then of the elevated building. Presumably, the wood was worn out, so the school officials preferred to replace it with cemented stairs, thus the ruins stand still until now.

Many of the townsfolks quoted that it serves as their playing area during recess time or even during class hours. They narrated that they heard their teachers' discussions as they kept on playing at the “silong” of the building. Common games were “tatsing”, “paya”, “tumbo”, and “jolens”, mostly games that requires steady sitting positions. The height of the underground flooring suited Grade 5 and 6 school children. Naughty pupils peep in cracked flooring to check on their classes and teachers as if attending classes while playing at the "silong".

Significance

Historical

The Gabaldon School Building is regarded as one of the heritage and historical school building in Numancia. They were built during the American colonial period in the 1950s, they were utilized as permanent Classroom for Grade V and VI.

Gabaldon buildings are heritage school buildings in the Philippines.

Social

The Gabaldon building of Numancia Integrated School was at the center of the town with a full primary level in the 1960’s. It is used as a training site for various school-related activities for teachers. They do this on purpose to provide students and teachers with access to sufficient, structurally sound, and physically secure buildings, grounds, and facilities.

Aesthetic

The NIS Gabaldon School Buildings had a unique structure. The L-shape edifice from the entrance gate to the area“these one- to two-storey structures are H or U shape buildings that distinctly featured elevated flooring, Capiz-shelled windows with wooden frames, and classrooms connected by corridors. It was inspired by a combination of Traditional

Filipino bahay kubo, bahay na bato and American architecture.

A standard size of 7 by 9 meters (23 ft × 30 ft) was conceptualized by Parsons for the school buildings regardless of the number of classrooms for swift construction of public schools. The buildings sat on wood or concrete stilt as foundations. In large cities, buildings were made of concrete while in smaller barangays they were made of wood.

Conservation

Status/Condition of Structure

[ ] Fair

[ ] Deteriorated

[ / ] Ruins

Remarks: Not functional because they are no longer classified as school building.

Integrity of the Structure

1.		[ / ] altered	2.	[ ] moved
		[ ] unaltered		[ / ] original site

Remarks: The structure appears as ruins of the entrance stairs of the semi-permanent building at the back of SPED classroom-LWD and Grade 2 classrooms.

Constraints/Threats/Issues

Hindrance on pathways of the school in the elementary level and along Marcos building in the secondary level. Exit ruined stairs of the semi-permanent building along Marcos building. They are demolished during Clean and Green Evaluation and Brigada Eskwela implementation due to hindrance along pathways in Elementary and secondary level.

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Present image of the ruins of concrete stilt/stairs of semi-permanent building inside the school premises

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Photo credits: Rhoda T. Maglunob, May 24, 2023

Interview with Mrs. Florentina Fulgencio and Mrs. Reinalda Magdaluyo

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Conservation Measures

None

List of Significant Tangible Movable Heritage

Name of Object	Photo	Year produced or estimated age
Cemented trash bin		unknown

References

Key Informant/s:	Reinalda I. Magdaluyo, 88 years old, Dongon West, Numancia, Aklan
	Florentina E. Fulgencio, 92 years old, Poblacion, Numancia, Aklan
	Sally V. Agapito, 52 years old, Principal I, NIS
	Michael V. Solina, 48 years old, Laguinbanua West, Numancia, Aklan
Reference/s and Other Resources:	Numancia Integrated School yearbook, School files
Name of Mapper/s:	Rhoda T. Maglunob, 48 years old, Teacher III, NIS
Date Profiled:	May 22, 2023
Language Editors:	Juvinna R. Dela Cruz, MT I, Numancia Integrated School
	Anjhielyn Mae C. Cahilig, MT I, Makato Integrated School
Layout Artist:	Dave Richard J. Santiago, MT I, New Washington Elementary School
Content Editor:	Josephine P. Vicente, T-III, Regional Science High school for Region VI
	Dennis Bontogon, MT III, Kalibo Pilot Elementary School
Wiki Editor	Leizl P. Lumbo, Teacher I, Malay Elementary School