Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1653

Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to create a national high school in Barangay San
Vicente, Umingan, Province of Pangasinan to be known as the San
Vicente National High School.

Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution provides that the
“State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality
education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such
education accessible to all.” In the same vein, the Constitution mandates
the State to establish and maintain a system of education in elementary
and high school levels (Section 2 (2), Article XIV, 1987 Constitution).

In the 6th District of Pangasinan, we have a cluster of 13 barangays
dubbed as “Marlboro Country” located at the southwest mountainous
portion of the Municipality of Umingan, the district’s biggest municipality
in terms of population and land area. The place is dubbed as Marlboro
Country because of its hilly but beautifully carved terrains. While they
are clustered as Marlboro Country barangays, they are nonetheless
geographically set apart by distances the farthest of which borders the
Province of Nueva Ecija. Currently, there is only one national high
school, Prado National High School, catering to all the high school
students coming from Marlboro Country located at Barangay Prado,
Umingan. A lot of students find their way to schools which are
considerably far from their residences. The situation now is most
unfavorable to most of the high school students because of the enormous
expenses incurred by them arising from transportation cost and other
related expenses attendant to travel. Aggravating to this is the fact that
most of the students coming from Marlboro Country belong to the poor


and marginalized sector of the municipality, some of whom travel by foot
only to gain formal education, a right guaranteed by our constitution.

Barangay San Vicente is central to most of the barangays in
Marlboro Country. With the establishment of San Vicente National High
School, the educational restraints caused by the lack thereof will now be
absolutely reduced thus ultimately redounding to the benefit of the
people of Umingan especially those belonging to Marlboro Country.

Hence, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

-AGABAS



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1653

Intr

ed by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL IN BARANGAY SAN
VICENTE, MUNICIPALITY OF UMINGAN, PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN
TO BE KNOWN AS SAN VICENTE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THERFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. There is hereby established, under the supervision of
the Department of Education, a national high school school in
Barangay San Vicente, Municipality of Umingan, Province of

Pangasinan.

SEC 2. The Secretary of Education shall immediately include in the
Department’s program the operationalization of the San Vicente
National High School, the funding of which shall be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC 3. The Secretary of Education shall issue rules and
regulations necessary to carry out the purpose of this Act.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general

circulation.


4 Approved,