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Friday, March 29, 2024

Local governments can rename public schools

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PAGADIAN CITY—The Department of Education, in compliance with a recent National Historical Commission of the Philippines guidelines, has revised the rules and regulations in renaming elementary and secondary schools, and public places like parks.

A directive received by newly retired DepEd Region 9 Director Walter Albos from Education Undersecretary Alberto Muyot specified that national schools may be renamed by the Office of the President or by Congress while public institutions of learning under the jurisdiction of local government units may have their names changed by the LGU concerned.

Specifically, Muyot’s directive said changing names of public schools under LGUs may be made by the Sangguniang Bayan, Panglungsod or Panlalawigan upon recommendation of the local school board concerned and upon consultation with the NHCP.

The education executive stressed that schools named after a province, municipality or city are considered appropriately named and, therefore, shall no longer be renamed, such as Zamboanga del Norte National High School, Basilan NHS, Dapitan City HS and Misamis Occidental NHS.

Albos said Muyot’s  order further enjoined that old school names “should be placed underneath the new names in the signage “to facilitate delivery of postal matter and serve as direct guide for people accustomed to the former names.”

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For instance, Albos said, under the signage Zamboanga  Sibugay NHS (renamed only a few years ago after the new province was created) should  indicate its original name “Pangi  NHS” preferably enclosed in parenthesis.

According to Muyot, proposed new names of schools to honor a person must have historical and cultural significance and must contribute to the positive development of national pride through the good example exhibited by the name being used.

Albos cited two examples in Zamboanga City where the former Zamboanga North HS was renamed Pablo Lorenzo National HS to perpetuate the name of the country’s second secretary of education, and Divisoria NHS  which was changed to Ma. Clara Lobregat NHS in honor of the mayor and congresswoman of the highly urbanized  city.

Moreover, Muyot’s order stipulated that no school or public place should be named or renamed after a person within 10 years of his/her death, “except for highly exceptional reasons.” 

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