DepEd gives green light to Bohol's newest high school

THE ESTABLISHMENT the Loon South High School has been approved by the Department of Education.

This was learned from Carmela Restificar, acting principal of Bohol's newest secondary school located in Barangay Cuasi.

Restificar got the information from Fernando Castañares, principal of the Loon South Central Elementary School who is also the administrative officer of the Loon South District.

The good news has been relayed to Dr. Florentina Pilayre, the recently installed supervisor of the District.

In his communication dated September 19, 2002 addressed to Dr. Carolino Mordeno, acting regional director of the Department of Education for Central Visayas, Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, specifically indorsed DepEd's approval of the request for the establishment of the Loon South High School.

The school, according to De Jesus, complied with the requirements set by DECS Order No. 5, s. 1989, that include the following: feasibility study; Sangguniang Bayan Resolution, which was authored by Kagawad Clovis L. Nazareno; approved budget and plantilla; deed of donation in favor of DepEd; certification that the school is not within the two-kilometer radius of any secondary school; certification of continued local government support; certification of availability of adequate classrooms and other facilities including textbooks, reference materials and equipment; and certification of availability of funds for the initial operation of the school.

South High's establishment is part of the development program of the administration of Mayor Cesar Tomas M. Lopez that received enormous support from Rep. Edgar M. Chatto, who coordinated with the concerned officials and agencies at the national level.
Chatto has also allotted funds for South High's infrastructure development.

The local government unit of Loon, through the Office of the Mayor and the Sangguniang Bayan led by Vice Mayor Raul Barbarona, and the office of the First District lawmaker first conducted public hearings on the establishment of the school.

The community-based consultations were participated in by the officials and residents of Cuasi, led by then Association of Barangay Captains President Rosalio Sieras, as well as the officials and residents of the of barangays accessible from Cuasi, officials of the LGU of Loon, and concerned education administrators.

Realizing the plan for the establishment of the only public secondary school within the southern district became much easier because of the benevolence of Cuasi's Salinas-Floren clan led by its representative, Saturnina F. Redillas, who is a retired high school teacher.

The Florens donated a lot for the permanent school site.

Presently, South High occupies a two-classroom facility within the campus of the Santo Niño de la Paz Elementary School. The pioneer mentors are Heidi F. Sanguenza, Melozena V. Mosota and Hannah Lee G. Mejorada.

Dr. Milagros C. Gabia, Education Supervisor II of DedEd Regional Field Office No. 7 revealed that South High's establishment is special for a couple of reasons.

Most applicant schools, according to Gabia, are established as annex campuses of existing schools. A new application has to be filed every time prior to the opening of a higher year level. These requisites, Gabia revealed, did not apply to South High as its approval DepEd was all-encompassing.

South High's establishment brings to seven the number of secondary schools in Loon. The others include three public schools in the northern district, namely, Cabilao National High School in Talisay, Cabilao Island; Sandingan High School in Calayugan Norte, Sandingan Island; and Cantaongon High School; and three private schools - - University of Bohol - Loon Institute in Moto Norte, St. Teresa Academy in Catagbacan Norte, and Sacred Heart Academy in Moto Sur. (Reigh P. Monreal)