Brief History

Leyte Progressive High School, Inc. (LPHSI) has a remarkable journey that spans over a century. It all began with a vision to provide quality education to the vibrant Leyte Filipino-Chinese community in Tacloban City.

Established in 1919, LPHSI holds the distinction of being the first Chinese School in Tacloban City. Founded by a group of local Chinese businessmen, including the Leyte Tek Club and the Tacloban Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the school was initially named the Leyte Chinese School. In 1921, it was officially registered with the Department of Education, commencing its educational mission within the confines of an old building, housing just two classrooms and a handful of enthusiastic young boys and girls from the Leyte Filipino-Chinese community.

Five years later, the school’s growth necessitated the construction of its first building. Unfortunately, financial constraints led to a temporary closure. However, the resilient Chinese community, recognizing the importance of education, rallied to establish an Education Committee. This pivotal move led to increased enrollment, and subsequently, the school was relocated to a new building on Gran Capitan Street (now Justice Romualdez Street), Tacloban City.

World War II brought challenging times as the school had to be temporarily closed in 1941 but was reopened in 1945 after the war. The determination to provide quality education pushed the Chinese community to construct a new building in Sabang District, Tacloban City – the current location of the school. The first graduation rites were held in this new facility.

In 1973, as part of a broader initiative to Filipinize Chinese Schools, the school name was changed from Leyte Chinese School, Inc. to Leyte Progressive High School, Inc. (LPHSI). In recent years, per Securities and Exchange Commission Registration, the school officially became registered as LPHSI.

Throughout its journey, LPHSI has benefited from the unwavering support of a dedicated Board of Trustees, passionate Alumni, and generous Chinese businessmen. These stakeholders have contributed library, laboratory, and computer facilities, a gymnasium, and other vital school infrastructures. Notably, the school displayed remarkable resilience and determination after Typhoon Yolanda, one of the strongest recorded typhoons in the country, struck in 2013.

The momentum continued, with SY 2017-2018 marking the graduation of its first batch of Senior High School graduates. A total of 24 students successfully completed the school’s basic education curriculum under the K to 12 Program.

In September 2019, LPHSI hosted a grand centennial Founding Anniversary celebration, marking a significant milestone in the school’s rich history.

The academic years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 brought unique challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many students transferred to nearby public schools to alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic, leading to significant financial strain. Nevertheless, LPHSI did not lay off any employees during this period and transitioned to remote learning via online distance learning.

Despite these adversities, the school successfully secured its permit to operate for another twenty-five years, as it received renewed Government Recognition in March 2023.

SY 2023-2024 marked a return to regular classes with the full implementation of face-to-face learning. While the school’s student population has not yet fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, LPHSI is steadily welcoming both continuing and new students. Excitingly, the school introduced new curricular offerings, including the Toddler Class and the Humanities and Social Sciences Strand of the Senior High School. Furthermore, for the first time, the Senior High School Program of LPHSI opened its doors to select financially challenged but deserving Grade 10 Completers from public schools through scholarship grants.

LPHSI continues its legacy of providing quality education, even in the face of challenges, and looks ahead to a future filled with promise and opportunity.