INTRODUCTION

The Batino Elementary (SPED Center) School is located in Barangay Amihan, Project 3, Quezon City. It is enclosed by the residential houses along Batino St., Townhouses in Xavierville Subdivision., commercial buildings on Katipunan Road and the Good Shepherd Convent along Aurora Blvd. The only way going to the school is a very narrow right of way donated by the Good Shepherd Convent when they sold the lot, where the school is located, to the Quezon City Government.

The school lies in a 9,750 sq. meter land. It has a unique terrain that makes it so picturesque. As one enters the school, one can’t help but to feel awed wondering how

such a lovely, cool and breezy place could be found in the heart of a dusty city.

Batino Elementary school has a very special characteristics compared with other regular public schools in Quezon City. Aside from its regular pupils who mostly come from depressed and underprivileged areas, the school also caters to children with special educational needs. These children with special needs are the hearing impaired, visually impaired, intellectually disabled, and children with autism.

The enrollment in this school comes from families who belong to the lower level of the socio-economic scale. Head of their families are either household helpers or family/utility drivers. Only a handful of the parents have reached college level. Most of the parents themselves are either elementary school graduates or high school dropouts.

The development of a true SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTER has long been a dream of the Division of city Schools Quezon City Schools, Quezon City to lend the credence to the commitment of the new constitution Sec. 1 Article XIV which states that “all children must be given the opportunity to realize their fullest potentials and does not exclude the exceptional children” The dream became a reality when QUEZON CITY, SPED CENTER, now BATINO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (SPED CENTER) was established in 1978 to meet the growing number of exceptional children in the city. Through the efforts of the Schools Division Superintendent with the cooperation of the Division Supervisor in-charge of Special Education, the center came to a reality.

The realization bore fruit at Batino Street, Project 3, Quezon City which sits on a knoll behind Good Shepherd convent overlooking Xavierville Subdivision. The initial operation of the center started with 28 pupils. The kind of exceptionalities included the deaf, the blind, the intellectually disabled and children with behavioral problems and learning disabilities. There were only four special teachers and eight regular teachers headed by their principal, Mrs. Lourdes Lero, 1978 to 1984, started its humble beginning. She was followed by her successors namely: Mrs. Melanina Garcia in 1084 to 1992, Dr. Perlita Jamoralin in1992 to 1994, Mrs. Rosalinda Catan in 1994 to 1997, Mr. Paulino Medrano, Jr. in September 1997 to 2001, MRS. Antonina Blanca in February to May 2001, Mrs. Eloisa Opeňa in June 2001 to 2002, Dr. Lourdes Abalos on May 15 to July 14, 2002, Mrs. Serafia Vargas in September 2002 to October 1, 2005, Dr. Grace C. Parungao from August 2, 2007 to May 11, 2011, Julio R. Villapa from May 12, 2011 to July 1, 2013, Meneleo Ramon B. Meneses from July 2, 2013 to January 11, 2015; Ma. Wevena A. Daňas from January 12, 2015, to June 17, 2019 ; MRS. JAIDA C. MALONZO from June 18, 2019 to present.

Of this date, the school consists of two semi-permanent Marcos/Pre-Fab buildings and two storey buildings namely Cariňo and the old DPWH building. The school also has Home Economics, Industrial Arts, Multipurpose Hall and a canteen building. A two room/storey building was constructed and donated by the Deutsche Bank. The special children are now housed in the new three-storey DPWH building while the other SPED pupils occupy the AKBAYAN building. The school is categorized as an institution with special school established in this Division, which in operation for 43 years now.

A public school caters to regular children from grades I to VI and to different exceptionalities like the intellectually disabled, the hearing impaired, the visually impaired, children with autism and children with learning disabilities. Its clientele come from areas like Loyola Heights, Marytown, Daan Tubo, Park 7 and 8, Jocson and Ronas Garden in Quezon City. Some pupils in the special classes come from nearby municipalities and cities like Marikina, Pasig, Antipolo, Taytay, Cainta, San Mateo and far as Binangonan, Rizal and other areas where there are no provisions for special education classes. This was due to the good performances, kind-hearted attitudes of teachers and strong leadership of the school administrator.

Integrating the special children into normal way of life and activities among the regular pupils is the essence of the school’s philosophy. The intellectually disabled children who can qualify for mainstreaming/inclusion are integrated in the regular classes. On the other hand, the visually impaired are fully integrated in the regular classes from grades I to VI and report to their special education teacher for their resource room activities. The classes for the hearing-impaired practice the philosophy of total communication and use the sign language as their medium of instruction.

The school works for the holistic development of special children as well as regular pupils. It is hoped that these learners are given the proper training and education to become assets not liabilities of the Philippine Society. After 43 years of existence, the school made a name in the history of Special Education Curriculum producing talented and productive graduates like Roselle Ambubuyog, totally blind alumnae that landed summa cum laude in Ateneo de Manila University, now a U.S based Filipino citizen, contributing her talents to the development and invention of computers for visually impaired individuals worldwide.

The school continues to grow and progress both in regular and special education curriculum under the leadership of MRS. JAIDA C. MALONZO with the assistance and cooperation of 37 strong teaching and non-teaching personnel.