san antonio elementary school HISTORY

San Antonio Elementary School came into existence on the opening of school year 1947. The once used as slaughterhouse before the war became the school named Matadero Annex. It began with two classroom teachers under the supervision of Mr. Dumlao. The following year, with the increase in enrolment, it became an annex of Bonifacio Elementary School, with eight teachers under the supervision of Mr. Cuartina.

Middle of year 1955, Bago Bantay Elementary School, formerly Bonifacio Elementary School conglomerated these schools as its annexes namely South Bago Bantay, Matadero Annex and the Philcusa Annex. During the administration of Mr. S. Magturo, the Philcusa Annex, which is at present the Esteban Abada Elementary School located at Project 7, became apart with the Matadero Annex. However, the school then only teaches grades one to four while the main school catered to the intermediate level.

As the school population increased, the number of teachers also increased to sixteen. Between 1958 and 1959, through the energetic effort of the PTA, one unit of the pre-fab building was constructed that made the possible accommodation of pupils promoted to Grades V and VI. It was also in this year that a bill was introduced to Congress changing the name Bago Bantay Elementary School to Esteban Abada Elementary school in honor of the late senator and former Secretary of Education. When the bill was enacted into law, it coincides with the changing of the name of Matadero Annex to San Antonio Annex, which later became a complete independent school called San Antonio Elementary School.

During the school year 1960-1961, the school has its own annex, the Garcia Annex. It was constructed to accommodate the fast increasing population of the school. The following school year, with the joint efforts of the PTA and the Teachers Club, two additional units of pre-fabricated buildings were constructed so as to accommodate all the pupils in the Garcia Annex. This was undertaken through the leadership of Mrs. Generosa Soriano who was then the principal. Later, in the year 1965 under the principalship of Mrs. Lorenza Ilagan, the construction of the Home Economics building and the Industrial Arts Shop materialized.

When Mrs. Agueda H. dela Rosa took over and led San Antonio Elementary School for three years till such time that Mrs. Emiliana M. Bancod assumed the principalship, the school was already beginning to build its name especially in the academic field, with its pupils winning in the different academic contests.

After Mrs. Bancod came Mrs. Norma R. Reyes who lobbied for the the eight-room Administration Building which was unveiled on March 20, 1983 and the two-room Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Building was constructed. It was also during her five- year term that the school brought home the bacon in the field of athletics, journalism and in other academic competitions.

The two-storey Aguinaldo building with six rooms and the two-storey SEF building with four rooms were constructed when Mrs. Zenaida R. Vasquez assumed office as principal. She also initiated the organization of SPED Classes.

Succeeding, Mrs. Vasquez was Mrs. Elizabeth San Diego who tremendously motivated teachers and pupils to work hand-in-hand with her for the school’s fame. True enough, during her term as principal, both pupils and teachers brought laurels to the schools. They placed San Antonio in the limelight when pupils emerged as champions in the different academic competitions. Many teachers sweated out to become outstanding teachers and master teachers. Two teachers were lucky to qualify for the DECS Scholarship in English and EPP. It was also during her term that the two-storey Cariño Building was constructed. This building housed the Grade VI pupils in the morning and the Grade I in the afternoon. It was then that the school was classified as a P-III school with 65 teachers.

After Mrs. San Diego, came Mrs. Adalia R. Alhambra, who was straight-forward in her dealings and firm in her decisions. She maintained the status of the school as one unbeatable institution in the academic contests in the different learning areas as well as in sports. When she left after her three year term , the school has a population of 2,550 pupils and 66 teachers.

During the time of Mrs. Lilia S. Recto who succeded Mrs. Alhambra, the school continued to be indomitable in the field of competitions. It was at this point in time where the construction of the SPED Building materialize thru the assistance of the late Congressman Reynaldo Calalay. A covered court was also added and the renovation of the stage became possible. Through Mrs. Recto’s effort the school was awarded by city government an additional lot adjacent to it thereby increasing its total land area from 9,500 sq.m. to 15,865 sq.m.

Sad to say that the school was not spared by Typhoon Ondoy that hit Metro Manila. The school was flooded and a lot of rooms and other materials were damaged. Still with the coming and going of new principal assigned in this school the physical attributes facilities of the school gradually improved. Buildings are here and then reconstructed, repaired and built. Also the construction of a three-storey building beside the Aguinaldo building, the perimeter fence around the school, the SB gate, the pathwalk from the covered court to the Cariño building, renovation of the Home Economics and Industrial Arts building are new additions to its physical make-over.

August 2012 when Mrs. Wilma C. Manio took charge as the school’s administrator, she made a fabulous make over of the school through various modifications and additions including repairs and refurbishment of school buildings, placement of “Bahay Kubo”s, comfort rooms and repainting and painting of murals on school walls, Construction of gazebos. SPTA office, New Kinder Building, DPWH four storey building as well as reconstruction of the Administration Office, Home Economics and Canteen rooms. Not only does Mrs, Manio initialized the physical changes of the school, she spearheaded the acquisition of being the Brigada Eskwela Best Implementer (Small School Category for the SY 2013 ­ 2014,

By January 2015, SAES welcomed a new and very hard-working School Head in the person of Dr. Teresita S. Dumpit who in her four month stay al ready accomplished a lot of physical attributes to the school such as

• Construction of the Covered Pathway from one building to another

• Reconstruction and refurbishment of the Canteen

• Repositioning of tarpaulin displays

• Redecoration of the Bahay Kubos

• Cleaning of piles of disposable materials at the school backyard

• Relandscaping of gardens in every corner of the school

• Repair of the doors and windows of social hall and administrative office

• Refurbishment and reconstruction of the computer room

Presently a lot of preparation is being made to start the School Year 2015 ­ 2016 to make the school more conducive to learning so as to serve well the incoming learners.