Ismael Mathay Sr. High School

The Ismael Mathay Sr. High School, formerly called the GSIS Village High School, is a high school situated in Quezon City, Philippines and more popularly known as the IMSHS, or simply, Mathay. The students and alumni are dubbed the "Ismaelians". The Village Bounty is the high school official organ formed in 1971 by the pioneer students. The former GSIS Village High School known as GSISVHS and fondly called "U.P. High" or "IS" located on Grants Street was a bounty, reward or grant to the humble and peaceful residents of the village and surrounding Project 8, Tandang Sora, and Pugad Lawin areas. The Village Bounty is a tender memento of a lifetime and, today, the IMSHS is a milestone of the village bounty.

The Dream Time

At the height of former President Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos leadership, there were threats of rebellion and insurrection. Before the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in 1971 followed by the declaration of Proclamation Number 1081, otherwise known as Martial Law, on 21 September 1972, there were massive demonstrations, pickets, and rallies in universities and high schools in Metro Manila, mainly centred in the so-called 'university belt' and 'Diliman' areas. This intense upheaval during the Marcos regime has affected many parents in various communities in the national capital region including the tranquil GSIS Village and Project 8 in Quezon City. These villagers envisaged of a high school within the village for safety and convenience of their young children instead of traveling in the mayhem of an immense metropolis. [http://gsisvhsaa.tripod.com/id21.html Ismael Mathay Sr. High School: "A Historical Perspective"] , George Magno Prado, 8 January 2005.]

In February 1971, the Parents & Teachers Association(PTA) of the GSIS Elementary School with Mr. Restituto Aguilar as President and the original Village Association under Atty. Bernardo Cuaresma initiated the plan where they filed a resolution requesting the City Superintendent of Schools for the opening of a high school within the Village in the school year 1971-72. The PTA group was supported by Mrs. Vicenta Tabujara, District Supervisor, Mrs. Estela Ponce, Teacher-in-Charge of GSIS Village Annex of Toro Hills Elementary School (THES) and Mrs. Rosenda Arriola, principal of the THES. Others included Engr. & Mrs. Enrique Nario Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Pablo Nolasco, Mr. & Mrs. Damian Rayala, Mr. & Mrs. Jesus Sabado, and Atty. & Mrs. Ricardo de la Cruz. The opening of first year classes was approved on 6 May 1971. The original initiators encouraged by the initial success of their petition went on to work for a complete high school. They filed another petition to this effect. More came to join this working group amongst them Ms. Consuelo Alvarez, Mrs. Gloria Caday, Mrs. Remedios Borromeo, Mr. & Mrs. Ricardo Dumagpi, Atty. Garcia, Mrs. Laureta M. de Guzman, , Mrs. Honorata M. Ibabao, Mrs. R.. Jatulan, Engr. Francisco Lameta, Lt. Eliseo Marasigan, Mr. Bonifacio Nino, Mr. Mariano Sobrejana, Mrs. Teresita Espejo, and Mrs. Eugenia de Jesus. The opening of second year classes received approval on 19 June 1971. Delegations from the group were assigned to see the City Superintendent on the opening of third and fourth year classes on 8 July 1971. Their fighting spirit carried them through until they got what they want - a complete high school.The Village Bounty, official organ of the Ismael Mathay Sr. High School. First edition, August-November 1971; original extract from Albert T. Rosales, Los Angeles, California, USA.]

Birth of the GSIS Village High School

Former Quezon City Mayor Norberto S. Amoranto issued Ordinance Number 8605, S-71 approving the opening of a complete high school at the GSIS Village High School in Quezon City, Metro Manila on 26 July 1971. The ordinance was endorsed on 21 June 1971 by the city councilors granting four thousand eight hundred pesos (Php 4,800) to refurbish the second-floor of the GSIS Village public market formerly named Norberto S. Amoranto Public Market located within the perimetre of Grants, Benefit, and Redemption Streets at the atrium of the village with eight rooms subdivided by ply woods and timber flooring.

As Vice-Mayor of Quezon City, Ismael Mathay Jr. graced the induction of the very first set of PTA officers with the superintendent of Quezon City schools, Mrs. Commemoracion Concepcion, in an evening program held at the GSIS Village High School hall on 14 August 1971 where he gave a short speech. In 1992, Ismael A. Mathay Jr. was elected mayor of Quezon City where he played a vital role in the transformation of the GSISVHS. During his reign, the GSIS Village High School was renamed after his late father, lawyer Ismael Mathay Sr.

From its humble beginnings at the top of the "palengke" (public market), the GSIS Village High School was headed by Mrs. Regina I. Novales (1971-73). She was replaced by Mr. Jose V. Aguilar with a title of division supervisor-in-charge in 1974.

The Transformation

Sometime in 1976, the "palengke" was gutted by blaze turning classrooms into ashes. Immediate evacuation to shelter the students of a struggling young high school was supported by various sectors of the local city council, political figures, and community leaders that bridged a gateway to its new campus.

The former Quezon City mayor, Ismael Mathay Jr. (1992-2001) played a vital role in the transformation of the GSISVHS. During his reign, the GSIS Village High School was renamed after his late father, lawyer Ismael Mathay Sr.

Ismael Mathay Sr.

Ismael Mathay Sr. was a Philippine politician.

He studied law and was admitted to the Philippine Bar on 16 January 1925.Management Information Systems Office of the Philippine Supreme Court, Attorney's List, Supreme Court of the Philippines, 1998] Later, he was appointed by Sergio Osmeña, second President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines as Budget and Finance Commissioner for the War Cabinet (1944-45) before Executive Order 15-W amalgamating and reforming the Executive Departments of the Commonwealth government on 8 August 1944. On 27 February 1945, Executive Order Number 27 was issued upon the reestablishment of civilian authority to the government of the Commonwealth, and a new cabinet was formed on 8 March 1945. Moreover, departments were consolidated and renamed. Osmeña created the Cabinet and Judicial Appointments (1945-46) and appointed Ismael Mathay Sr. as Secretary of the Budget. [http://www.pangulo.ph/index.php Quezon III, Manuel L., editor-in-chief, The Philippine Presidency Project: The Philippine Presidency Project is a collection of documents and related archives pertaining to past and present presidents of the Philippines.] In the 1960s, Ismael Mathay Sr. held a position of auditor general, board director, and general manager of the National Marketing Corporation. [Philippine Jurisprudence, Supreme Court of the Philippines dated 29 November 1968, Arellano Law Foundation, Manila Philippines, 2000]

Ismael Mathay Sr. is the father of Augusto A. Mathay, lawyer, Philippine Bar, 7 February 1963 and Ismael A. Mathay Jr., also a lawyer Philippine Bar, 16 January 1925, who would later follow his father's political steps and who was instrumental to the flourish of the GSIVHS; grandfather of Ismael G. Mathay III, Congressman 2nd District, Quezon City, Ponciano G. Mathay, lawyer, Philippine Bar, 18 October 1954, Ramon G. Mathay, Quezon City Council, Board Member, 2005-06; [ [http://www.quezoncity.gov.ph/ Quezon City Government Website] , Quezon City Philippines, 2005] and great grandfather of award-winning Manila film actress Ara Mina and model/tv star Cristine Reyes.

The Ismael Mathay Sr. High School and Pugad Lawin High School

In 1993, the Toro Hills High School in nearby Toro Hills [Guerrero, Milagros C., 'Sulyap Kultura', a publication of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (1996); Perspective, Balintawak: The Cry for a Nationwide Revolution, Manila Philippines, 6 June 2003] was established at the old incinerator site with a total land area of eight thousand six hundred ninety six (8,696) square metres in Sitio Militar, Bahay Toro, Project 8, Quezon City just opposite the Pugad Lawin Shrine where Katipunan leader Andres Bonifacio and the rebels signified their protest against the Spanish colonial rule by ripping their "cedulas" on 23 August 1896. [http://www40.brinkster.com/mysampleweb Quezon City Division of City Schools (DCSQC), 2005-2007] The Toro Hills high school was later named 'Ismael Mathay Sr. High School - Toro Hills Annex' under the tutelage of his father school, the Ismael Mathay Sr. (GSIS Village) High School.

Likewise, in Quezon City, a large portion of Tandang Sora district is Barangay Bahay Toro, where a historic site of the Philippine Revolution known as "Pugad Lawin" is located.Fact|date=September 2008 The Toro Hills "baby school" became the IMSHS - Bahay Toro Annex.http://www.deped.gov.ph/public/public.asp?sec=&action=edit&iID=490&type=Public Department of Education, The official website of the Republic of the Philippines, 2004-2006] Based from its innate Tagalog name, the Ismael Mathay Sr. High School - Bahay Toro Annex would later become the Pugad Lawin High School.

Under Quezon City Schools District IV, the Pugad Lawin High School was inaugurated on 21 June 1998 as part of the Centennial Freedom Trail [Ramos, Fidel Valdez, Opinion/Editorial: Standing taller on the shoulders of heroes, Manila Bulletin, Manila Philippines, 2001] becoming an autonomous institution from the father school, Ismael Mathay Sr. High School.

The IMSHS

A leading institution for public education in Quezon City, the Ismael Mathay Sr. High School sits in a sprawling campus along Branches Extension in the village with booming population, modern facilities, and world-class teaching staff.

Notable Alumni

* "Arlene Sison" (Class 1974), famous Manila film actress in the 70s; semi-finalist in the 1974 Miss Republic of the Philippines beauty pageant. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2841863/

* "Elizabeth Fajatin Bautista" (Class 1975), national beauty titleholder, Miss Republic of the Philippines-Visayas 1975; sensational award-winning and highly respected actress screen-named "Beth Bautista"; 1978 Gawad Urian Award Best Actress for her role in the movie, "Hindi Sa Iyo Ang Mundo, Baby Porcuna" and nominated in 1979 for the prestigious FAMAS Award for Best Actress on the same movie with Vilma Santos (Pagputi ng Uwak Pag-itim ng Tagak, 1978) and Susan Roces (Gumising ka Maruja, 1978) that was won by the latter. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1080707/

* "Jerome S. Baxinela" PSSupt (Class 1980), belongs to Class 1986 of the Philippine National Police Academy and currently Regional Director for Metro Manila Regional Office (MMRO) of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) which operates under the umbrella of the Office of the President of the Philippines.

* "Moises H. Latorilla" PSSupt (Class 1974), belongs to the 52 graduate cadets of Class 1978 under the Philippine Air Force Regular Officers Procurement Program. Now a superintendent of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame, Mr. Latorilla also served as a military attaché under the UN Peacekeeping Mission including Kosovo as head of the 38-man PNP contingent.

* "Reynaldo S. Rodrigo" (Class 1975), chief operating officer of US-based Health Care Solutions Inc., community officer and civic leader.

* "Aileen D. Sanchez-Hong" (Class 1973), global telecommunications entrepreneur based in San Francisco, California, USA including Philippines and Vietnam.

* "Nelson P. Nario" PSSupt (Class 1974), Isabela Province provincial police chief and directorate for research and development of the Philippine National Police-Preparation Committee under the chair of Chief Superintendent Silverio D. Alarcio Jr., PNP Director for Operations.

* "Albert T. Rosales" (Class 1975), Port Operations Officer (E-8) of the United States Naval Force Port Operations Cryptologic Technician - Collection based at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach near Los Angeles in California, USA.

* "Rogelio L. Miguel" (Class 1973), general manager of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in Muñoz City, Nueva Ecija serving water supply to Region III or the Central Luzon Region. Engineer Miguel is also the president of the Central Luzon Association of Water District.

* "Ricardo A. Benitez" (Class 1979), Philippine-trained architect in New Zealand; planning and design manager of Prime Property Group http://www.primeproperty.co.nz/about_team.htm in Wellington, New Zealand.

References

External links

* [http://gsisvhsaa.tripod.com The Ismael Mathay Sr. (GSIS Village) High School Alumni Link]