# Pampanga High School

The foundational roots of what we now recognize as Pampanga High School (PHS) were established in 1902, coinciding with the full establishment of the Civil Government in the Philippines. Prior to the establishment of the Civil Government in Pampanga, schools were organized and operated under military guidance. In 1901, a group of teachers arrived from America, specifically twenty-five civilian educators among the 600 American teachers, known as Thomasites, who arrived from the United States on August 23, 1901. They were assigned to the 19 towns of Pampanga. These teachers initially taught in central schools, provided training to Filipino teachers, and initiated the extension of the education system to encompass the crucial barrios in the province. The instruction initially focused on primary and chiefly academic education. Later, emphasis was placed on industrial training, and intermediate and secondary schools were established. During the Spanish colonial period, Teodoro Santos and Africa Ventura constructed a building in downtown San Fernando. This structure, known as the "Buison Building," was later inherited by their daughter Asuncion Santos, who married Andres Eusebio. It served as the first site of PHS and eventually evolved into a popular lodging and dining facility, now known as Pampanga Lodge and Restaurant. In 1907, the construction of PHS along the old highway near the provincial capitol in barrio Santo Niño commenced. The historical main structure, more renowned as the Gabaldon Building, was named after Isauro Gabaldon, the Nueva Ecija Assemblyman who sponsored Act 1801 and was designed by the American architect William Parsons. The Gabaldon Act, passed in 1907, mandated funds for the construction of school buildings across the country. The construction was overseen by the provincial and insular governments. The grounds covered an area of four hectares. The building and its smaller components cost ₱47,000. The furniture was crafted at the Bacolor School of Arts and Trades, totaling ₱2,500. Adjacent to the main building was a domestic science structure, costing ₱3,500, which stood on the grounds and formed an integral part of the institution. The overall expenditure on the buildings and furniture amounted to ₱53,000. Upon completion, the high school comprised nine classrooms, a library, a property room, a principal’s office, and an assembly hall spacious enough to accommodate four hundred people. The grounds were meticulously designed, adorned with shade trees, hedges, and shrubbery, enhancing their visual appeal. In June 1908, this significant building opened its doors to nearly three hundred pupils. In its inaugural year, the school encompassed an intermediate school, covering fifth to seventh grade and the first to second year of high school. The teaching staff included seven Americans and three Filipinos, with Mr. John W. Osborn as the principal. The subsequent school year, 1909-1910, saw an enrollment exceeding 200. Under the energetic principal's guidance, the school functioned smoothly. Students completing their third year of high school that year were compelled to travel to Manila for the school year 1910-1911 to complete their high school curriculum. The academic year 1911-1912 witnessed a momentous development, much to the students' joy—a complete high school course was introduced, incorporating the fourth year. The senior class that year comprised 20 students—15 boys and five girls. Among these 20 students, 19 successfully graduated. One of the early alumni of the school who gained prominence was Diosdado M. Macapagal, a graduate of the class of 1929, who later ascended to the position of the 5th President of the Republic of the Philippines. Subsequently, the burgeoning student population prompted the national government to undertake the construction of a new building along Teopaco Street, popularly known as the High School Boulevard, its present location. The plot was generously donated by the late Don Juan Teopaco, as documented in the Register of Deeds TCT No. 2942. The new structure, completed in 1935, was a Gabaldon schoolhouse, designed in the early 1930s. The Gabaldon Building, with its rectangular shape, showcased intricate sculptures and relief of human figures on its facade and rear. PHS is one of the few remaining schools with Gabaldon architectural structures, holding the distinction of being the central landmark of the American public educational system in the province of Pampanga. The earlier structure was repurposed as an annex. In its new setting, PHS continued to provide education to a growing number of students from various towns of Pampanga and neighboring provinces. The school remained under the supervision of American educators (the Thomasites) until their tenure concluded in 1935. The last American principal, Charles G. Whitewell, was succeeded by Demetrio Andres, who assumed the role of the first Filipino school principal. Regrettably, the operations of Pampanga High School were severely disrupted from 1942 to 1944 due to World War II. On June 18, 1964, Republic Act No. 3975 was enacted, changing the school’s name from "Pampanga High School" to "Jose Abad Santos High School" in honor of Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, who is now acclaimed as a Kapampangan hero for his heroic sacrifice during the Japanese occupation. The bill proposing the school's name change was sponsored by then Congresswoman and former Governor Juanita L. Nepomuceno. However, on April 01, 1992, the institution’s name was reverted to its original name, "Pampanga High School," through Republic Act No. 7340, initiated by Congressman Oscar S. Rodriguez (PHS Alumnus–Class 1963), and the school has retained this name to date. In July 1972, Pampanga experienced moderate flooding when Typhoon Edeng made landfall in Luzon. However, the situation escalated with the arrival of Super Typhoon Gloring, which caused extensive damage in Central Luzon following Typhoon Edeng. Subsequent typhoons, including Huaning, Isang, and Konsing, inflicted devastating losses and prolonged severe weather conditions in Luzon. A month of seemingly incessant rains inundated Pampanga High School, resulting in the suspension of school operations for several weeks. The Gabaldon building, the school’s primary structure, was partially submerged, with its basement remaining waterlogged for an extended period before being permanently sealed. In 1991, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo had a significant impact; however, the floods triggered by "Bagyong Mameng" (Typhoon Sibyl) in 1995 had an even more profound effect, inundating the town, including PHS. Floodwaters and mudflows from Mount Pinatubo cascaded into the town, causing severe damage to the school, with many of its buildings suffering immense devastation. The basement rooms were permanently buried, resulting in the second floor of the main building being prematurely converted into the ground floor. In 2003, during the presidency of Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, daughter of former President Diosdado M. Macapagal, ₱22.5 million was allocated by the National Government for a significant upgrade of the school grounds, including raising them by one meter and installing drainage and water systems on the campus. Following the campus upgrade, nearly all the buildings underwent rehabilitation and improvements, a collaborative effort involving various stakeholders, including administrators, students, teachers, non-teaching staff, alumni, PHS-MPCI, PTCA, NGOs, and GOs. In 2016, PHS responded to the DepEd's mandate to recalibrate the school's curriculum, incorporating Senior High School specializations under the K-12 program. These additional two years offered specialized fields such as Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), General Academic Strand (GAS), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMMS), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL). In March 2018, the school celebrated its first batch of K-12 graduates, totalling 718 promoted students. Furthermore, DepEd replaced the traditional valedictorian and salutatorian titles for top K-12 students with "With Honors," "With High Honors," and "With Highest Honors," in accordance with DepEd Order 36, s. 2016. Pampanga High School has persevered through numerous challenges, with its greatest achievements emerging from its most formidable struggles. It remains dedicated to nurturing the dreams of the youth, providing them with a high-quality education that equips Kapampangan youth with the skills needed to become productive citizens of the country.

## Uniform

At the Junior and Senior High School, the boys’ uniform is a plain white polo shirt with the school monogram/logo, black pants, and black shoes with white socks. The girls’ uniform is a plain white blouse with a monogram/logo, an orange pleated skirt (2-3 inches below the knee), and black shoes with white socks. Girls in the Senior school should also wear a yellow necktie. All students are also required to wear ID badges whenever they are on school premises.

## Notable alumni

* Diosdado P. Macapagal, former president of the Philippines
* Jose B. Lingad, former governor of Pampanga
* Marcos G. Soliman, former military officer
* Oscar Samson Rodriguez, mayor of San Fernando, Pampanga
* Amado Yuzon, writer and politician

## Gallery

* Façade of the School
* View of the School buildings
* Diosdado Macapagal Court
* Dama de Noche building
* Library