Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School

Coordinates: 14°37′39″N 121°2′47″E / 14.62750°N 121.04639°E

Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School
Paaralang Sekundarya ng Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao)
Address
Ermin Garcia St., cor. Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Cubao
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Information
Type Public, Special science
Established 1953
Principal Dr. Luis P. Tagayun
Number of students approx. 7000
Medium of language English, Filipino
Color(s) Green and White
Nickname RMCHS, Monsay
Affiliations Division of City Schools - Quezon City, Department of Education

Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School (RMCHS) is a high school in Quezon City, Philippines.[1] It was founded as an annex of Quezon City High School in 1953 then became an independent school in 1958. It is one of the two schools in Metro Manila named after President Ramon Magsaysay (the other being Ramon Magsaysay High School, Manila).

History

Facade of the RMCHS main building viewed from the Ermin Garcia St. side.
Bust of Ramon Magsaysay displayed at the school's quadrangle

The school was established as an annex of Quezon City High School in 1953. It was located at EDSA, near Cubao Elementary School. In 1958, this annex became the independent Cubao High School, which relocated in 1960 to New Orleans St., behind the old Quezon City Hall. Due to accelerating socio-economic development in Quezon City, Cubao High School annexes began sprouting. The first of these was the Murphy Annex, which started operations in 1961. This annex was named Juan Sumulong High School upon being designated an independent school in 1964. The second annex became Carlos P. Garcia High School, while the third became Ponciano Bernardo High School.

On March 17, 1965, Cubao High School was renamed in memory of President Ramon Magsaysay who perished in a plane crash on March 17, 1957. Consequently, March 17 of every year until 2012 was observed as the school's Foundation Day. The school year 1968-1969 saw a record boom in enrollment, resulting in the lack of accommodations for the more than 5,000 students. To remedy the situation, the old Quezon City Hall, standing on prime land at the corner of EDSA and Ermin Garcia St., was appropriated as the permanent school site. The rooms of the building itself was converted into classrooms. Unfortunately, on March 15, 1981, a devastating fire gutted the entire school building. School year 1981-1982 was spent at the nearby Raval Building, which was rented by the city government to enable students to continue their schooling.

Through the initiative of former First Lady and then Metro Manila Governor Imelda Marcos and then city mayor Adelina S. Rodriguez, construction of a P13.6 million school building began in 1982. The three-story building was inaugurated on September 8 of the same year. Through the initiative of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, a two-story SEDP building was constructed.

To cope with the demand for more classrooms, the city government vacated the adjacent Post Office to give way to the construction of a new school building sponsored by then Congressman Sonny Belmonte. The P12 million structure, named Belmonte Building, then houses most of the school's computer-based education.

In 1998, a fourth building was constructed beside the SEDP building to house the laboratory classes of the students. It was christened DOST Building, named after the Department of Science and Technology, the one who sponsored in building the facility.

Three more buildings were added to the school's compound to house the technical and home economics subjects, as well as the science curriculum students of the school, namely the Home Economics Building in 1999, the Mathay Hall in 2002, and the Technology Building in 2003.

In 2007, due to poor maintenance, the SEDP building was demolished to make way with the construction of a four-storey building named Belmonte Hall.

In 2013, the school's Foundation Day was moved to August 31, Magsaysay's birthdate, then moved it back again to March 17, Magsaysay's death.

Noted alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Problems mar opening of classes". Sun.Star. June 6, 2006. Retrieved May 10, 2010.