The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Tuesday it released P1.134 billion to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the conservation and restoration of Gabaldon School Buildings and other heritage school structures across the Philippines.
Gabaldon School Buildings, also known as Gabaldons, are heritage school buildings in the Philippines constructed during the colonial period of the United States.
Their architecture draws inspiration from traditional bahay kubo (nipa hut) and bahay na bato (stone house) designs. There are 2,045 Gabaldon Schoolhouses across the Philippines.
“Let us restore and preserve the dignified spaces of our Gabaldon School Buildings and other heritage structures. Whether nestled in bustling cities or remote provinces, these historic edifices hold the promise of progress. Together, we forge a path toward a renewed Philippines, leaving no one behind as espoused by President Bongbong Marcos’ vision of a Bagong Pilipinas,” DBM Secretary Mina Pangandaman said.
Pangandaman approved the release of SARO for the said purpose on March 1, 2024.
Special Provision No. 21 of the FY 2024 GAA and in accordance with Republic Act No. 11194 and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) require that heritage school buildings, including Gabaldon school buildings, be preserved and restored as part of the country’s cultural conservation efforts.
The restoration process includes site improvements such as school ground site leveling and grading, with high regard for building safety and integrity and removal of obstructions and unsafe structures around the Gabaldon building.