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.

A Brief History of Lupao-Nueva Ecija

         The derivation of the name of Lupao so far as known has never been fully explained except with the oft repeated myth that it originated from an itchy shrub called “lupa” which grew abundantly on the plains long before the Spaniards settled on the place.   

   

During the Spanish rule, the territorial jurisdiction of the province of Nueva Ecija, extended to as far south at Cabiao and the towns of San Quintin, Rosales, Balungao and Umingan in the north, which later formed part of the province of Pangasinan. Lupao was a component barrio of Umingan.  It remained so until 1871 when some residents led by a Senior Calderon petitioned the Governor General for the segregation of Lupao as a barrio of Umingan and the eventual creation of Lupao as “Tenencia Absoluta” and was headed by a Teniente Absoluto. On September 28, 1871, the Govierno Superior Civil de Filipinas decreed the creation of Lupao as Tenencia Absoluta. It signified the formal segregation as barrio and the eventual creation as “pueblo” of the province of Nueva Ecija. Under the Spanish rule, a pueblo is created through the Law of the Indies and represented a local government unit.  The pueblo was an agency of the Central Government.

            Salvacion was the first barrio of Lupao. Its initial territory also included Barrio Cabaritan now known as San Jose City. Barangay San Roque was known as “Odiao” and San Isidro as “Macañaoed”. Among the first leaders of the municipality during the twilight years of Spanish Rule were Benito Romualdo as “Capitan Municipal” and Celestino Jabalde as “Juez de Paz”.

            When the American forces defeated the Spaniards, towns were founded through General Order #43. On January 31, 1901, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 82 that eventually installed Civil Government on different town in the Philippines, including Lupao. At this time, great change occurred in the economic and political landscapes of the communities.

            The Municipality of Lupao is situated at the northern tip of Nueva Ecija and about one hundred seventy five kilometers (175kms) from Manila, one hundred ten kilometers (110kms) from Baguio City and about sixty kilometers (60kms) from Cabanatuan City, the provincial capital.

            It is bounded in the North by Umingan, Pangasinan, on the South by San Jose City, on the West by Muñoz and on the East by Carranglan.

            Lupao, Nueva Ecija has a total land area of 17,378 hectares or equivalent to 173.78 sq. kms. It comprises twenty four (24) Barangays of which four (4) barangay are classified as Urban namely, Poblacion North, Poblacion South, Poblacion East and Poblacion West and the rest of the barangays are considered rural areas.

Mayors of Lupao

1. Hon. Victoriano Joanino                                   1913                1916
2. Hon. Felix Carpio        
3. Hon. Sixto Baclig
4. Hon. Tranquilino Saroca
5. Hon. Pio Dacanay                                            1925                1927
6. Hon. Juan Briones                                            1905                1927
7. Hon. Pablo Del Rosario                                    1928                1931
8. Hon. Jose Tecson                                             1931                1934
9. Hon. Nemesio Cabiles                                      1932                           
10. Hon. Marcelo Neri                                           1934                1937
11. Hon. Luis Ancheta                                            1937                1940
12. Hon. Emilio Buencamino                                   1942
13. Hon. Guillermo Mabalot                                   1943
14. Hon. Jovino Tienzo                                          1940-1943, 1944-1945, 1948-1951
15. Hon. Pastor Domingo                                      1946                 1947
16. Hon. Alfredo Briones                                       1952                1959
17. Hon. Carlos Castañeda                                    1960                1963
18. Hon. Rodrigo Mata                                          1964                1967
19. Hon. Abelardo Borja                                        1967                1971
20. Hon. Tiburcio Santillana                                    1972                1986
21. Hon. Modesto Barcelona                                  1986                           
22. Hon. George Castañeda                                   1987                1995
23. Hon. Alfredo Vendivil                                       1995                2004
24. Hon. Alexander Joanino                                    2004                2007
25. Hon. Richard Ramos                                        2007                to present