(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law mandating the protection of Gabaldon school buildings in the country as part of the country’s preservation of its cultural heritage.
Under Republic Act 11194 signed by the President on Jan. 18 but which was made available to the media on Thursday, Feb. 7, the Department of Education , National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and the National Museum are tasked to implement a program that will allow them to identify and conserve the school buildings named after then-Assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon of Nueva Ecija.
It was Gabaldon who authored Act 180, which allowed for the construction of 3000 school buildings across the country from 1907 to 1946.
According to the law, local government units that have Gabaldon school buildings under their jurisdiction have to adopt measures for the “protection and conservation of these structures.”
If there is a need to undertake steps for a school building’s conservation, the DepEd, the law said, in coordination with the NCCA, NHCP and NM, should provide the proper technical assistance.
The law said this was to ensure that the original architectural design of the building is maintained.
“Any modification, alteration, destruction, demolition, or relocation of Gabaldon school buildings shall be strictly prohibited,” the law said.
Initial funding for the program will come from the budget of the DepEd in 2019.
