Sta. Ana Elementary School (SAES) is one of the oldest elementary schools in Manila and the entire Philippines. Its precursor, Escuela de Sta. Ana, was found in the 1900’s for about the time the Americans set foot on the Philippine soil. It opened as a public school for boys in a one- room class in the house of Doña Ramona Ponse on Calderon Street. Spanish was the language of instruction.

The following year, it was expanded to accept girls. The boys’ and girls’ classes were separated. They had their respective principals for boys and girls. The Department of Public Instruction was established in 1901, and Escuela de Sta. Ana was formalized as public elementary school under the department. English became the language of instruction. By 1903, it had eight (8) teachers and held day and night classes. A Filipino principal was assigned for the day classes and an American for the night classes.

Later called the Sta. Ana Primary School with classes up to Grade 1 to IV, it was transferred to Herran Street (now Pedro Gil) in 1906 because it needed more space for its growing population. In 1916, it was transferred to the building at Lamayan Street, known then as the biggest in the place and offered for free by Mr. Teodoro Yangco, a shipping magnate and well- known philanthropist. An earlier resident of the said building was the then promising young man known as Manuel L. Quezon.

The school’s transfer to the Yangco building marked the change of its name to Sta. Ana Elementary School, being a complete elementary school with classes from Grade I to VII. In 1925, the city government of Manila saw a pressing need for SAES to be transferred to a bigger space. It purchased a lot where the present school is still housed…. a prime lot of one and a half hectares on Margarita Roxas Street. The actual transfer to this new location took place in 1928 when the building was finished.

The new building was of American design, an imposing rectangular two- storey landmark in the district. It complemented the more than a century old Sta. Ana Church nearby. It was equipped with a library considered modern during that time. It is still the largest among all public school libraries in the city, and comparatively the best equipped.  By that time, SAES had twenty- four (24) classrooms with fifty-four (54) teachers.

All the onset of World War II, SAES was placed under the stewardship of Gregorian Rodil. It opened briefly under abnormal condition. The principal strived hard to save the school properties like books and the expensive piano from Japanese plunderers and local looters.

Luckily, Sta. Ana was practically spared from the massive destruction of Manila wrought about by the war.  With the re- established of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1945, classes resumed in Manila’s public schools with SAES as one of the few normalized classes. By then, the school space had become small for postwar enrollees, so the principal, Mrs. Rufina Vicente, had Quonsets built. These were temporary structure of iron matting, remnants of the retreating U. S Armed Forces.

In 1947, SAES had one hundred twenty-four (124) teachers. Elementary School administration was strengthened in Manila with the appointment for the first time of elementary school assistant principals. School population continued to grow bigger as migrants settled in the residential areas of Sta. Ana. Mrs. Placida Reyes, the principal, served for twenty- three (23) years. When she left, the school had 185 teachers, three (3) assistant principals, two (2) dentists and two (2) nurses.

When Miss Soledad Halaguena took over in 1973, she made strong representation with the Division Office and the City Mayor so SAES could reclaim the 1 500 square meter lot where two tennis courts were located. She also met strong opposition from the Tennis Club. Undaunted, she changed strategy to pursue the expansion of the school. She saw the original SAES half rectangular building as having outlived its usefulness and had become a security nightmare. With more vigor, she finally convinced the city officials for a much-needed central building. The then Mayor Ramon Bagatsing ordered the release of city funds for the construction of a partly three and partly four- storey U- shaped building which when completed in 1981 turned out to be the biggest city elementary school building in Manila. The expenses amounted to 16 636 000.00 considered a hefty allocated for an elementary school building. Ironically, Miss Halaguena, the principal who worked hard for the realization of the project was no longer around when the school building was inaugurated on June 24, 1981, Araw ng Maynila. She died of cardiac arrest in 1976. It was Mrs. Felipa Aure who saw the completion of the project. It was during her term that the tennis aficionados finally gave and left the contested lot in 1985. She immediately worked for the construction of a two- storey school building on the lot.  Mayor Bagatsing released more funds and work started in the same year. It was stopped due to the EDSA Revolution in 1986, and there was a change of city administration in Manila. The building was completed in 1987 and was named Ramon D. Bagatsing Building. This building now houses the SAES Special School for mentally challenged children.

The expanded SAES served more than its purpose of solving classroom problems. It also relieved the City Government of expenses for the school plant. On June 1986 Lope K. Santos Elementary School, which was near SAES, was dissolved. The pupils and teachers were all accommodated at SAES.

More improvements were made. The old gymnasium was renovated and converted into a social hall, the remaining part of the tennis court was paved with concrete and the gloriette was constructed in the middle of the garden. Trees and ornamental plants were planted on its spacious playground.

The administrators who followed strived hard to establish good relationships with the parents, teachers, barangay officials as well as the city officials. More physical facilities were improved, the Office of the Principal, the water system and comfort rooms. The repair of the building at the Suter wing was funded by the Public Works Department that amounted to half a million pesos. Cong. Amado Bagatsing of Manila’s 5th District contributed Php 750 000. 00 for the completion of the H. E Building housing the school canteen plus a Kindergarten class. It was blessed during the turnover ceremony on February 10, 1998.

In the same year, a two-storey building was built on the lot where the Kindergarten and some Grade 1 classes were formerly located. Work stopped for several years due to inadequate funding. Work has started again in the middle of May 2005 with blessing of Cong. Bienvenido Abante who facilitated the allocation of the much-needed fund to finish the building. It was inaugurated on November 14,2005 and was named after him.

 Through the years, SAES has improved its physical facilities. Classrooms and walls on corridors were painted with colorful designs. The whole school has become a very conducive place for learning.

 The dynamic leadership of principals encouraged all the teachers to work hard for the beautification and cleanliness of the school. Classrooms, corridors, offices, and gardens have become the pride of SAES staff and personnel. Visiting administrators, supervisors and teachers from other districts and features it has to offer that could be replicated in their own schools.

It comes to no surprise that SAES continues to be in the process of growth, not only in number, but more important in its statute. Its pupils and mentors continue to reap recognition in different facets of academic and non- academic excellence. Besides, it definitely would  not be what it is today, if not for the sterling performances of the following administrators who served and left a significant mark in the history of Sta. Ana Elementary School.