Benigno V. Aldana National High School: Its Humble Beginnings

By: Rodrigo P. de Vera, Jr., EdD

Master Teacher I, Benigno V. Aldana National High School

Pozorrubio, Pangasinan

                                                                        

Before World War II broke out, the education of high school students from Pozorrubio took place in various places in Pangasinan, namely, Lingayen, Dagupan, Manaoag or even to nearby towns with established high schools. Some even went as far as Baguio just to continue their secondary education.

Immediately after the end of World War II, several influential leaders and concerned citizens had seen the urgency of establishing a secondary school in Pozorrubio in order to ease out the financial burden of many parents who were sending their children to various places. Led by the mission to establish a secondary school in this town were Don Domingo M. Magno, Don Florentino Magno and Don Claro C. Quinto who were former mayors of this town. They petitioned the officials of the Department of Education in Manila to put up a secondary school in Pozorrubio.

With the help of a fellow Pozorrubian, Dr. Daniel M. Salcedo, who was then the Director of Public Schools, he used his connections to help his townmates in their petition to the Department of Education.  Support from other sectors soon followed such as the members of Parent Teachers Association (PTA) led by Buenaventura and Andres Aldana, Francisco and Alejandro Aldana, Raymundo and Gerardo Buada, Juan Dimagan, Pedro Estaris, Higino Gomerz, Sr.,    Paulino de Vera, Deogracias Estrada, German Lagera, Orestes and Andres Olarte, Gerardo Nabor,Sr., Enrique Posadas, Jorge Robles, Sr, and Esteban Salcedo. Hon. Enrique Braganza, the governor of the province of Pangasinan that time, and Mayor Eligio V. Fernandez also gave their full support and contributed to the establishment of a secondary school in Pozorrubio.

Finally, the petition was approved by the Department of Education and the Pozorrubio Junior High School was established on July 15, 1946 just barely seven months after the end of World War II.

Coupled with the establishment of a new secondary school in the Municipality of Pozorrubio were the problems of having no school buildings and classrooms to accommodate the first batch of its enrollees. This first-ever student body composed of around 235 students had to suffer the birth pains of the newly established secondary school in town. They had to attend their classes in several sites in the town’s población. The first school rooms were offered in the residences of Don Andres Olarte and Jovellanos-Venezuela’s ancestral house located both in Sison Street, Don Gerardo Nabor, Sr. and Don Andres Aldana’s residences both located in Espiritu Street, and Itliong-Estaris’ residence located along Rizal Street. However, the Don Andres Olarte’s residence served as the main building.

In the middle of 1947, the school was finally moved to its present site in Bgry. Cablong, Pozorrubio, Pangasinan. With their ardent desire to help their townmates, Don & Doṅa. Orestes and Cion Olarte donated three-hectares (thirty-thousand square meters). Soon, another two hectares were purchased through the contribution and fundraisings initiated by the Parent Teachers Association (PTA). True to his promise to Don Domingo Magno, Senator Camilo Osias fulfilled his promise and used his pork barrel in the construction of the school’s first buildings. However, most buildings during that time were made of old cogon-talahib rooftops and sawali for their walls. Today, BVANHS has a total land of 73,856 square meters.