PUBLIC schools were to the American colonial regime what Baroque churches were to the Spanish period. In their time, both were the most imposing structures in all our provinces, cities and towns. As Spain used religion to colonize and Hispanize, the United States of America established the public education system for "pacification" and Americanization.


Gabaldon Building of Central School of Tibiao

Lamentably for heritage conservation, most of the school houses built during the Spanish colonial period were reduced to rubble during the Philippine-American War (1899-1911) and when the Philippine Commission sent the American Secretary of War a telegram about the "pacification" strategy, Eng. Edgar K. Bourne was instructed to go to Manila. Daniel Burnham, famous city planner, and other American architects soon followed.

Acting rapidly, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 268 creating the Bureau of Architecture and Construction of Public Buildings, with Mr. Bourne as its head. The construction of schoolhouses in Manila and the provinces began and this activity was viewed as the most important work of the Bureau.



Dagupan West Central School (Among all Gabaldon school buildings of the country, the one in Dagupan has a unique history. While built as a schoolhouse, the one in Dagupan City served as the Provincial Capitol of Pangasinan from 1942 up to 1945.)


No sooner was the Philippine Assembly formed after the elections of 1907, when Act No. 1801, authored by Assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon of Nueva Ecija, was approved and became widely known as GABALDON ACT . This appropriated Php 1 million between 1907 to 1915 for the "construction of schoolhouses of strong materials in barrios with guaranteed daily attendance of not less than sixty pupils…"

Funds for each school could not exceed Php 4 thousand unless the municipality contributed a counterpart sum of not less than fifty percent of the total amount granted to it by virtue of the Gabaldon Act. The municipality was authorized to appropriate its own funds, receive voluntary contributions in cash, kind, or in manual labor, for the construction of schoolhouses.

The Gabaldon Act stipulated that only on land owned by the municipality could schools be constructed. Because proposed sites had to be surveyed and registered with the Court of Land Registration, very few schools were erected in the first three years. As separate planning for each school was burdensome, the Bureau of Public Works and Bureau of Education soon came up with standardized designs. These were known as "Gabaldon School Buildings" or simply "Gabaldon," long after the expiration of Act 1801.

Fifty-one "Gabaldons" were completed by 1911 and by 1916, four hundred five more were constructed bringing the total number of classrooms to one thousand eight hundred fifty-two. Three hundred twenty seven of these "Gabaldons" were made of concrete. In the Gabaldon-style school, there was architectural harmony between the main building and other accessory structures. As it turned out, an elegantly-designed school instilled in both teachers and students a certain pride and an appreciation for the finer things in life.

By Gemma Cruz Araneta
Some Of The Hundreds Of Gabaldon Building Spread Throughout The Country Including Our Very Own
Guinayangan Elementary School


Bicol University College of Education Laboratory School (Legazpi City)


Burgos Central School (Pangasinan)


Bicol University High School (Legazpi City)


Bontoc Central School (Mountain Province)


Bacong Elementary School (Negros Oriental)


Oas Central School (Albay)


































Paoay Elementary School

Dr. Archie Garcia and Mrs. Bebe Garcia

Ito kagad ang salitang pumasok sa isipan ko ng makita ko ang kanyang ginagawa taon-taon simula ng umuwi ako dito noong 2004. May nagsabi sa akin na matagal na raw niyang ginagawa ito taon-taon. Ano ba itong sinasabi ko? Narito ang kwento mga kabayan…….

Siya at ang kanyang maybahay ay dumarating dito tuwing kalagitnaan ng Disyembre mula Amerika. Magpapahinga lang siya ng 2 araw at magsisimula ng mamigay ng mga damit, sapatos at mga laruan sa ating kababayan partikular na sa mga mahihirap. Ayon pa sa nagbigay ng impormasyon sa’kin na “80 to 100 balik-bayan box” ang kanyang ipinamimigay na regalo sa ating mga kababayan. Siya ay gumagastos ng humigit-kumulang sa 1 milyong piso taon- taon kasama na ang transportasyon nilang mag-asawa pabalik ng Amerika. Pagkalipas naman ng pasko at bagong taon, ang mga pumupunta naman ay nagpapa-konsulta at humihingi ng gamot. Silang mag-asawa ay umaalis pabalik ng Amerika tuwing kalagitnaan ng Enero.

Ang tinutukoy ko ay si Dr. Archie Garcia at ang kanyang maybahay na si Gng. Bebe Garcia. Sila ay naninirahan sa “California, USA”. Biniyayaan ng 4 na anak, pare-parehong may pamilya na at naninirahan sa Amerika. Si Dr. Archie Garcia ay isa sa magkakapatid na may-ari ng Guinayangan Academy ( GA high-school ).