BALLESTEROS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY

HOPE sprung in every heart in Ballesteros with the realization of a long-time dream - the opening of the only public high school in town, the Ballesteros National High School.

FAITH made this collective dream come true as the people gave their full trust to their leaders then, notably the former Cagayan District II Representative Leoncio M. Puzon and Mayor Gabino R. Collado who jointly pushed for the creation of this public high school for the youth of Ballesteros who could not afford to go to the more expensive private high schools.

LOVE to the people and to education inspired these officials into pursuing Republic Act 6055 in congress, an act seeking to establish Ballesteros National High School as an annex of Abulug National Rural and Vocational High School of Abulug Cagayan.

In its official opening in June 1988. Enrollees and their parents flocked to the school which was then stationed at a borrowed building at the Ballesteros Central School. However, with just five pioneer teachers and a two-classroom building, some of the enrollees had to be channeled to the two private high schools under the Educational Service Contracting Scheme of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. Under this scheme the secondary education of the students who enrolled in public high school but could not be actually accommodated is subsidized by the DECS. Such students finish their secondary education in private schools without paying tuition fees.

From 1988, ANRVHS Principal Mr. Ernesto L. Esteban through head teacher Ms. Lourdes J. Ave managed and supervised the school with the five pioneer teachers namely: Mrs. Evangeline C. Collado, Mrs. Maryrose G. Espergal, Mr. David C. Lorenzo, Mrs. Yolanda U. Sosa and Mrs. Blandina Corazon T. Unite.

Not long after, though R.A. 7087 of 1991 granted the school its independent status. Thus, the BHS-ANRVHS Annex came to be known as Ballesteros National High School-a school that soon emerged as a center of excellence in education in this part of the country.

Upon the retirement of the head teacher in 1990, Mrs. Evangeline C. Collado took the reins as school administrator, first as a teacher in-charge until eventually she became Secondary Principal III with the unprecedented growth of the school.

BNHS finally moved to its permanent home in nearby Sta. Cruz in 1991 with the construction of its first building. This one hectare duly titled lot was donated by the late Vice Mayor Mr. Auvifer L. Ruelos, the school site was expanded with the donation of another one half hectare adjacent lot by the late Mrs. Angustia Agustin, a civic-spirited Ballesterian based in California, USA.

The school proved to be a blessing to the whole of Ballesteros. First, it answered the parents’ financial woes. Second, it became an avenue of cooperative partnership among parents, teachers, the community and the local government unit whose one goal is to develop the people in order to develop the town. And finally, it became a showcase of Ballesteros culture and excellence.

The principal awarded as Outstanding Principal of Cagayan in 1995, instituted educational mechanisms to make the school relevant to the community and to the changing needs of the time while making its students achieve honors up to the national level and also in the international level.

The students and graduates now mirror the school’s mission and vision of producing academically brilliant young men and women who become productive and competent citizens and who dedicate their lives to the Supreme Being to the country and to the global community.

On the other hand, the overwhelming assistance of the LGU from Mayor Vincent G. Unite and the past administration of Violeta V. Unite and the staunch alliance of the past and present General Parents Teachers Association made BNHS a home of achievers and landmark of beauty. On the other hand, they made the school garner the following sterling achievements making it a pride of Ballesteros.

A change of leadership took place in the latter part of 1995 when school heads were reshuffled to share their expertise in another school. For BNHS and Matucay National High School, it looked like a case of exchange educators when Mrs. Collado was designated in Matucay National High School while Mr. Epifanio T. Ulita of MNHS came to take her place in BNHS.

Mr. Ulita put in place a concrete pathway where the covered walk now stands. His term saw continued growth of the school with the construction of more classroom buildings.

On top of his accomplishment was the construction of the four-room Multi-Purpose Building, a joint effort of the General PTA, the LGU and the school. This building has detachable panels in between the rooms so that it can be used to hold school programs and activities.

When Mrs. Evangeline C. Collado returned in 1997, the school paper, The Harbinger was awarded 10th Place, Best School Paper in the Philippines in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental and the school paper adviser, Mr. Noli V. Viloria was awarded Most Outstanding School Paper Adviser of the Philippines.

BNHS gained more prominence when the school won as Best Solid Waste Management Implementer in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 – making BNHS a Hall of Fame awardee for winning in three consecutive years.

In June 2010, BNHS became a recipient of the Engineering and Science Education Program of the DepEd, hence for the first time; it opened a 40 member Science Class in the first year level with a specialized science-enriched curriculum. Students in the class underwent a more rigid screening through a series of examinations first by the school and second by the Department of Science and Technology.

GENEROSITY is unquestionably kept alive when one of the late Mrs. Angustia Agustins’ children Mrs. Imelda Agustin Castro donated one half hectare to make the school site more spacious. The said lot was acquired through the intercession of Engr. Theodore M. Unite and through the cooperation of Mr. and Mrs. Manuel “Boy” Cortez and Family. The relocation of the informal settlers occupying the lot was facilitated through the financial assistance extended by the members of BNHS Pioneer Class and some BNHS Alumni spearheaded by SB Member Marcus Antonius R. Collado and Miss Marifi G. Quidilla. The Ballesteros LGU headed by then Hon. Violeta V. Unite equaled such generosity by enclosing the lot with a concrete fence. Also, the BNHS General PTA under the able leadership of Mrs. Fredelyn P. Aquilizan spearheaded a fund-raising campaign to produce the amount needed for the titling of the said lot.

Moreover, the campus area is made wider when Mrs. Lynnette Prisca Ruelos-Laasa Ballesterian and a nurse based in Texas, U.S.A. donated a six-meter extension from the southern fence.

As BNHS celebrated its 25^th Silver Jubille and 2^nd Grand Alumni Homecoming year 2013, the expansion and beautification programs continued, and delivery of educational activities remained a top priority of the school. Improvement within the campus are evidently the testimonies of strong partnership of BNHS with other stakeholders such as the landscaping of the school grounds, tiling of classrooms and corridors, completion of F.L. Vargas Memorial Gymnasium, installation of four WIFI Zones, and acquisition of materials for multi-media instruction from ABS-CBN and Nokia Network and provision of computer units from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

It was 2014 when Mrs. Evangeline C. Collado retired as the principal of the school. She left the school with well established governance and with very strong and unified faculty members and staff. Mrs. Shirley A. Onza (Master Teacher II) was given the designation to take charge of the work of the principal while waiting for a new principal that will be sent from the Division Office. Mrs. Shirley A. Onza was the Officer In-charge from February 2014 to August 2014. She managed the school activities smoothly.

From August 2014, Mrs. Priscilla T. Pacis, PhD, Secondary School Principal III took over the management of the school. As she came with a new style of leadership, the faculty members and staff had to make a little bit of adjustment to create a smooth sailing relationship with a positive mindset working in an organization. The supervision of the school by the new principal was being assisted by two committed members of the faculty: Mrs. Shirley A. Onza, MT-II and Mr. Mars A. Almazan, T-III who were designated as Head Teachers. With the implementation of K-12 Curriculum in 2016, two new two-storey buildings were constructed in the eastern part of the campus which used to be a forest area to house the Grades 11 and Grade 12 of the Senior High School.

The SHS, in its first year of implementation, was served by seven teachers retooled for the program, namely; Mr. Cipriano O Tabenga, who eventually became the SHS Coordinator, Mrs. Mary Grace L. Vega, Mr. Elizer Valen B. Maximo, Mrs. Brenda R. Moises, Mr. Marc A. Beato and Mr. Lito B. Dela Cruz. They were augmented by some borrowed JHS teachers in the person of Mrs. Melba B. Martinez, Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Roida P. Tablit, Mrs. Anghie T. Quitola and Mrs. Mylene C. Rinaldi.

The first year of operation of classes in SHS went well despite the odds of handling classes under trees, covered walks, borrowed rooms, in the gymnasium and other available spaces. The students numbering to 292 were enrolled in Academic Tracks: STEM, ABM, HUMSS and GAS; TVL Track: EIM, Cookery, Beauty and Nail Care, Dressmaking, Agriculture, Caregiving; and also in the Sports Track.

With the retirement of Dr. Priscilla T. Pacis in January 2017, Mr. Alejandre O. Bernarte, MT-I, was designated as Officer In-charge. As a school head. He prioritized agriculture and finished the dragon fruit plantation of the school, financial independence of teachers, and vehicle security in the campus.

The Department of Education did not take long to install the next principal of BNHS in the person of Mr. William M. Calabazaron, Secondary Principal III. He came with a fresh approach to management based on KAIZEN – which mean improve the improvement. His leadership was inspiring to both teacher and students, who soon found back their enthusiasm and energy in working for the school and improving themselves.

During his administration came new facilities to serve students’ growing needs. The main canteen was transformed into a cozy and high-end nook for health breaks, hand washing facilities were erected, concrete pavement was constructed, the stage of the gymnasium was renovated with the help of some school stakeholders.

BNHS became more active in the National Synchronized Earthquake Drills for students’ safety during calamities. He institutionalized time on task – to do things always on time. And BNHS benefitted from his trainings here and outside the country, specifically Japan. Hence, his transfer to another school saddened the school community but everyone was happy for him for reviving the BNHS spirit of oneness, excellence and achievement.

History took another turn when a new principal was installed on August 2018. She was Mrs. Lolita Cablaza-Unida, PhD, the first and only Principal IV in the Schools Division of Cagayan. The best person to man the biggest secondary school in the division in terms of students and teachers’ population.

She is a woman of action. With her at helm, BNHS was back in its fighting for in the Search for Best Brigada Eskwela Implementer, Peak Performing School and now working on the level 3 evaluation of the school’s SBM practices.

She has worked for the tiling of the gymnasium, purchase of school van, the second main canteen and the computerization of all teachers’ nooks with laptops and printers in collaboration with external stakeholders, parents and the Local Government Unit of Ballesteros.

History is watching and BNHS is growing. It has and will continue to make a name as a premiere school in the division. Moreover, it has made a niche in the country’s education map as a bulwark of academic, sports and cultural excellence. This is Ballesteros National High School, HOME OF ACHIEVERS, PRIDE OF BALLESTEROS.