Kalibo Pilot Elementary School's Gabaldon Schoolhouse

Photo Credit: Leonard Ambito Lachica

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A. TYPE                [/] GABALDON             [ ] OTHER _______________
                              [ ] MARCOS TYPE

B. OWNERSHIP   [/] PUBLIC                    [ ] PRIVATE

C. ADDRESS/LOCATION/COORDINATES (Longitude & Latitude): Mabini Street, Poblacion, Kalibo, Aklan with coordinates of 51 P 431125 1294323.

D. AREA:
1. Total Land Area: A total of 22,041 square meters under SP-SCH-Entry No. 060407-007 thru the Special Patent of Original Certificate of Title dated June 1, 2016 by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in accordance with Republic Act No. 10023.
2. Structure: A total of about 167 square meters floor area in a regular plane figure of letter E structural design building.

E. YEAR CONSTRUCTED/ESTIMATED AGE: 1912/111-year-old

F. OWNERSHIP/JURISDICTION: The Department of Education (DepED) shall be responsible in instituting the governance of basic education act and the conservation and restoration of its built heritage such as the significant Gabaldon school buildings. (IRR of RA No. 10066, Section 35 (d))

G. DECLARATION/LEGISLATION: Philippine Assembly enacted Act No. 2029 on February 3, 1911 as continuance upon the expiration of Act No. 1801 in 1911. Act No. 2029 was implemented in 1912 which provided funds for the construction of the Calivo Intermediate School Gabaldon Schoolhouse and the building was formally turned over to the Director of Education in 1916.
Anent thereto, the Local Government of Kalibo approved on August 9, 2012, Ordinance No. 2012-016 “An Ordinance Declaring All the Gabaldon Buildings in the Municipality of Kalibo as Historical Landmarks and Providing Funds for Its Conservation.”

II. DESCRIPTION

A. Physical Description (Describe the physical features – exterior, interior, landscape surrounding the structure)

Exterior/Interior Features:

The Facade. A resemble of English neoclassical design uniquely noted for its simplicity, elegance, and sense of proportion that harmonized the panoramic landscape of the institution.
Front Windows and Wall. A simple geometric shape featured three vertical bands of capiz windows with a measurement of 8’6”x3’3” separated by four rows of Doric concrete columns and undecorated wall on both sides.
Hallway/Corridor. The concrete hallways in front and on both wings with its width and length of 2.4mx33m and 2.4mx27m respectively.
Wooden Fretwork Wall. An interior wall and partition that enclosed each room into cube like classroom.
Doors. Fourteen hard timber doors.
Steel Pipe Railing. Attached on columns along the corridors on both wings for safety of pupils. Columns and Lintels. Twelve rows of Roman Order rectangular concrete shaft with 12’x1’x1’ which support the horizontal beams (lintels).
Inter-circular Balustrade. Fifty-seven overlapping circular with a circumference of 1’9” inches attached on columns along the hallway.
Wooden Fretwork Floor. Contained in the 12 classrooms’ flooring (saeog).
Capiz Windows. A distinctive feature of bands of capiz in 60 windows of Gabaldon.
Staircases. A widen six (6) steps of stairs on both sides of façade and at the back on both wings.
Heritage Hall. An enclosed rectangular social hall with 140 square meters.
Wooden Fretwork Ceiling. With a height of 13’5” inches from the floor which serves as ventilation for the classroom.
Back Wall. A plain and undecorated concrete wall on both wings that extend to the base floor.

Landscape Surrounding the Structure:

On the front face crossed the building is the statue of Apolinario Mabini erected a decade later than the Gabaldon building was built.
Surrounded by various species of flora creating its green landscape of exotic and indigenous trees and other flowering plants. The right side facing its entrance was made into an enclosed rest area, a mini park highlighted by a raised footbridge at the center, concrete park benches along its fence underneath broad canopy of Talisay, Mahogany, Guyabano, Duhat and various palm species. And a variety of colorful ornamental plants were grown along walkways.
On its rear is a medicinal garden with some indigenous species such as bugnai inviting probably fly catching flying foxes or known as kuyapnit resting at the structure’s canopy.
As part of its accessories are the Home Economics building beside at the right of the Gabaldon and the four Doric rectangular columns which served as the main entrance of the school.

B. History of the Structure (Write the history of construction, use/function of the building over the years, history of intervention)

Built in 1912, by virtue of Act No. 2029, upon the supplication of Hon. Emiliano Baltazar Acevedo, Presidente Municipal de Calivo (1910—1912) as certified by a Thomasite William L. Bowler, Supervising Teacher, as to the daily attendance of not less than forty pupils.

At the expiration of Act No. 2029, the Gabaldon building was formally turned over to the Director of Education in 1916 with this report:

a – Front portion only – 1 rear room and 4 rooms of each wing omitted.

Atty. Arnaldo M. Tejada Sr., alumnus 1945, recalled Japan’s effort to win local folks loyalty by teaching Nippongo (Japanese language) in elementary curriculum phasing out English subject. A corroborated account testified that the building was not used as garrison and schooling was not disrupted but “few children attended classes from Grades One to Six and which did not take long because of fear that develop among parents, as from time to time guerillas would attack the Japanese forces,” told by Mrs. Ofelia M. Tumbokon, alumna 1944.
It is the first Gabaldon schoolhouse in the province of Aklan and one of the oldest edifice of public schools in the municipality of Kalibo.
Cited as “Built Heritage” for its architectural and engineering structures with notable historical value and cultural significance, the Department of Education instituted the conservation and restoration, November 2017 – August 2018, through the DepEd PEF-SED, Division of Aklan.
Thereby, Republic Act No. 10066 or known as “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009,” mandated that in the pursuit of cultural preservation the school unified a deep sense of pride and responsibility in a spirit of stewardship for the inspiration and benefit of the present and future generations.

III. STORIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRUCTURE

The Gabaldon building marks the culture of continuing education which fostered school children for 111 years — a treasured heritage of education for generations.
It is of best interest to note some of the prominent graduates who had contributed in national and international arena like Godofredo Peralta Ramos (alumnus 1924), the Father of Aklan and had served the three branches of the government; Dr. Beato A. dela Cruz (alumnus 1925), first Akeanon Schools Division Superintendent; and Capt. Gil Meñez Mijares (alumnus 1930), Patriot and Martyr recognized by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
In its centennial celebration in 2012, assortment stories were collected:
“Paglalaro ng holen at tumbang preso ang kadalasang laro ng mga estudyante sa ilalim ng Gabaldon building.” – Susana Abiera Motus, Class 1937
“Whenever I got the chance to see or enter the Gabaldon building I felt that I am a pupil again — makes me smile.” – Maria Salvacion Ilicito-Revesencio, alumna 1985.
“Let’s make sure that it will still stand for the next hundreds of years.” – Rea Verone I. Tolentino, Class 2003

In 1987, Gabaldon’s Heritage Hall housed the Decentralized Learning Resource Center (DLRC) and was accorded as the national awardee being the Most Functional DLRC in the Philippines. With the implementation of the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 (RA No. 9155), KPES-DLRC was identified as the Center of Excellence in MAKABAYAN in Region VI.
Gabaldon wasn’t spared when typhoon Frank devastated Aklan on June 21, 2008 which destroyed right wing roofing and leave three inches mud-flooded the entire saeog (flooring).
Cited as “Built Heritage” for its architectural and engineering structures with notable historical value and cultural significance, the Department of Education instituted the conservation and restoration, November 2017 – August 2018, through the DepEd PEF-SED, Division of Aklan.

IV. SIGNIFICANCE

Indicate type of significance, e.g. historical, aesthetic, economic, social, political, spiritual and then explain

Historical. Marked as centennial building, constructed in 1912, and “the first Gabaldon building in Aklan — the present Kalibo Pilot Elementary School,” read in a book Town of a Thousand by Roman A. dela Cruz, a war veteran and local historian.
American teachers or known as Thomasites, two of whom headed by William L. Bowler were among the first who fostered Kalibonhoon school children in the Gabaldon.
Thus, the Local Government of Kalibo approved on August 9, 2012, Ordinance No. 2012-016 “An Ordinance Declaring All the Gabaldon Buildings in the Municipality of Kalibo as Historical Landmarks and Providing Funds for Their Conservation.”
“Gabaldon building continue to shelter and embrace the Akeanon youths who seek to be educated and be one of the countless, successful, and responsible citizens and will continue to do so in the years to come,” the Ordinance read.
“Gabaldon building is just a representation of what is meant by the best education the Pilot school could offer yesterday, today and tomorrow,” shared by Rev. Fr. Peter Kim I. dela Cruz, alumnus 1988.

Aesthetic. A resemble of English neoclassical design uniquely noted for its simplicity, elegance, and sense of proportion that harmonized the panoramic landscape of the institution.
Its special features are the windows with band of capiz, wooden fretwork walls, hard timber doors, rows of columns noted for its Roman Order rectangular concrete shaft which support the horizontal beams (lintels), inter-circular balustrade attached on columns along the hallway, wooden fretwork floor (saeog), and elevated flooring served as aerial ventilation so as with its high ceiling.

Economic. The Department of Education instituted the conservation and restoration, November 2017 – August 2018, through the DepEd PEF-SED, Division of Aklan with the amount of P10,366,758.48.

Looking back, 111 years ago, it is noteworthy to find out that the cost (including surcharges) was P27,859.97 and the value of donated materials marked at P365.09 with the labor of P50.00 totaling to P28,275.06.
Nevertheless, the amount a century ago and at present is incomparable which Gabaldon played a significant role in taking care as shelter for the Filipino children to discover their full potential in a child-centered and value-driven teaching-learning environment and thereby, enabled them to create their own destiny in the global community, and prepare them to become responsible citizen and enlightened leaders who loved their country and proud to be Filipino.

Social. The mechanism of Americanization was through education. With the prominence of Thomasites during those periods, they were responsible to cascade and promote to the locale the program and projects of the government, thereby utilized the Gabaldon as a meeting place and social gathering for the purpose thereof.
Thus, “thousands and thousands of Akeanon pupils took their formal education at this building,” Ordinance No. 2012-016 stated. “Gabaldon building stand proud as a living testament that indeed education is an essential element in the life of a successful community.”

Political. Upon the supplication of Hon. Emiliano Baltazar Acevedo, Presidente Municipal de Calivo (1910—1912) along with its lot for the building site owned by the municipality and with certification from Thomasite William L. Bowler, Supervising Teacher, as to the daily attendance of not less than forty pupils, the school was granted its request for the construction of schoolhouse of strong materials.
The municipal also had shared its counterpart by donating materials with the amount of P365.09 and labor cost of P50.00.
These were the concrete manifestations of political aspect which the community benefited for the common good — education for all.
At present, the Gabaldon has been utilized as a voting precinct for the national to local elections. And produced graduates who have been political leaders like the incumbent Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores.

Spiritual. The school played an integral life of Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes during his childhood. The first Filipino Archbishop who inspired other graduates for the vocation of priesthood like Rev. Fr. Peter Kim I. dela Cruz and Rev. Fr. Mark Randy G. Beluso, as among others.
Presently, the building embraced ecumenism activities from different religious groups for their spiritual programs and projects.

V. CONSERVATION

A. STATUS/CONDITION OF STRUCTURE: (Describe the physical condition of the structure)

[/] In good condition
[ ] deteriorated
[ ] ruins

Remarks: The structure shall be for the educational purposes as mandated by the governance of Basic Education Act as well as its conservation and sustainability.

B. INTEGRITY OF THE STRUCTURE:

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

Remarks: Among the minor altered features which are deemed necessary to address in consideration of the needs of its stakeholders are provision of ramp at the left front stairs, removal of fretwork wall inside the Heritage Hall to have a more spacious function hall, construction of comfort rooms inside the hall, and provision of steel pipe railings on both wings for the safety of school children.

C. CONSTRAINTS/THREATS/ISSUE:

Maintaining the sturdiness of the Gabaldon building poses a threat especially in preserving its original structure without sacrificing its capacity to withstand changes.
Usages other than for educational purposes being the property of the government as used by other institution or entity.
Weathering, infestation, natural and man-made atrocities, and insensitive to the cultural value of the building.

D. CONSERVATION MEASURES: (Describe the conservation measures taken at the level of the community, provincial and/or national)

Regulate “adaptive reuse of cultural property” as mandated by the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10066 or known as the “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.”
Thereby organizing Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to act as service arm of the school for the protection and conservation thereof.

Collaborating with the Local Government of Kalibo as to implementation of Ordinance No. 2012-016 “An Ordinance Declaring All the Gabaldon Buildings in the Municipality of Kalibo as Historical Landmarks and Providing Funds for Its Conservation.”
In the same manner, knowledge about the history about the Gabaldon building must be properly disseminated so as to let people of Kalibo and its neighboring towns to learn its rich cultural heritage.

VI.LIST OF SIGNIFICANT TANGIBLE MOVABLE HERITAGE

(within the premises of the built heritage):

VII. REFERENCES

KEY INFORMANT:	ALLAN T. RELLOTO
REFERENCES:	THE FOUNDING HISTORY KALIBO PILOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10066 MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE NO. 2012-016
NAME OF PROFILER/MAPPER:	DENNIS E. BONTOGON
DATE PROFILED:	MAY 7, 2023