History of Doña Juana Chioco National High School

By: Nobert S. Bermosa, Ph. D

Doña Juana Chioco National High School is a public high school and is the largest high school of the four public and private high schools in the town of Lupao, Nueva Ecija. It has a population of nearly two thousand students and is much larger than the combined population of the three other high schools in the municipality. The other high schools in the town are Sacred Heart Academy, San Isidro High School and Agupalo Weste High School. It was once tagged as the largest barangay high school in the entire Central Luzon region or Region III.

Originally, it was named as Lupao Barrio High School when it was established in 1966 through the joint efforts of the then Municipal Mayor Tiburcio T. Santillana and the District Supervisor, Mr. Cornelio Dela Cruz. This educational institution started with three full time teachers and one part time teacher with one hundred ninety-three students enrolled in the first and second years. The school was under the jurisdiction of Lupao Central Schoo from the year of its establishment until 1975. The pioneering teachers of Lupao Barrio High School were Mr. Charlito C. Realin, Rodrigo Corpuz, Melecio Villarosa and Mrs. Placida Gallardo.

In 1972, Lupao Barrio HS transferred to its present site and it was renamed Lupao Barangay High School and started to progress through the aid and donation of the school lot by the former governor of Nueva Ecija, Don Juan O. Chioco. Eventually, it was renamed as “Doña Juana Chioco High School” in honor of the wife of Don Juan.

The school’s progress was further realized when it received full support of the provincial and national government. In 2011, the school received full recognition as a national high school, thus, making it known as Doña Juana Chioco National High School.

For almost five decades now of service and providing quality education, the institution has 46 regular teachers – three of which are master teachers, one secondary school principal, 6 head teachers, a guidance counselor, a disbursing officer, a bookkeeper and three utility workers.

Past administrators of this educational institution were: Mrs. Rufina Lim as Principal from 1966 to 1975 and concurrently the School Principal of Lupao Central School; Mr. Lazaro Patacsil of Muñoz Provincial High School as Assistant Principal-in-charge from 1966 to 1969; Mr. Mariano Pagaduan as Teacher-in-charge from 1972 to 1975; Mr. German Narag as Head Teacher from 1975 to 1978; Mrs. Lolita P. Medina as Principal from 1975 to 1981; Mrs. Nenita C. Ballestar as Teacher-in-charge in 1976, as Head Teacher III from 1981 to 1994 and as Principal from 1995 to February 2009.

Mrs. Obdalia C. Valmonte is currently the school head of Doña Juana Chioco National High School since April 2009.

Among the teachers of DJCNHS who are now retired include Dionisio Q. Gattoc, Virgilio N. Memita, Florida Aragon-De Guzman, Julita Baraceros-Muñoz {deceased}, Avelina S. Orcales, Isabelita Memita-Mariano [deceased}, Belen T. Cruz, Nenita Castillo-Ballestar, Eufrocino R. Fiesta, Lorendo N. Memita, Martha G. Santillana, Rebecca M. Co and Lina D. Gaceta. Teachers who will be retiring this 2012 are Zenaida Pagaduan-Quejarro, Lilia Dapon-Santillana and Mr. Philip F. Uy. Mr. Victoriano M. Santillana, utility worker for more than 30 years, will be retiring this year too.

Others who also served as teachers of Doña Juana Chioco National High School include Elena Cachero, Dr. Sixta U. Fernandez, Bella Baldevarona-Eugenio {deceased}, Lorna C. Diaz, Anita Pagibitan-Gonzalez, Filomena Aguilar, Helen Criste, Filipina Apostol, Arlyn Basa, Menardo Fernandez {deceased}, Purita M. Torio {deceased}, Remedios Paraiso, Abella Jacalan-Suyat, Gina Fajardo-Aquino, Elizabeth P. Moscaya {now teaching in CPNHS-San Jose City}, Percy S. Badiola {now head teacher of Llanera High School} and Michelle C. Garabillo.

Graduates or alumni of this school who are now part of the faculty include Leonida Hidalgo-Zamora, batch 1979 3^rd honorable mention is currently the Head Teacher of Values Education department; Leo Esteban, batch 1987 is a Math teacher; Maribel Santillana-Paulino, batch 1988 class valedictorian is the Math Coordinator; Elizabeth G. Timple, batch 1988 is a PLSB(TLE) teacher; Lucille Piedad-Tuano, batch 1999 class valedictorian is a TLE teacher; Lerma Domingo-Gorra, batch 1999 is another PLSB(TLE) teacher; Jane S. Napoles, batch 2001 class valedictorian is a Social Studies teacher; Ivory Felixmenia-Bautista, batch 2002 class salutatorian is a Science teacher; Roselyn A. Almerol, batch 2002 with honors is a MAPEH teacher; Geraldine V. Nones, batch 2003 2^nd honorable mention is a Filipino teacher; Peter Paul D. Gamit, batch 2003  1^st honorable mention is a MAPEH teacher; Gladyr Joan Viernes-Castor, batch 2004 is a Filipino teacher and Mariz L. Calamanan, batch 2005 is a TLE teacher.