Batac vice mayor hits proposal to separate BNHS-Bungon campus

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff reporter

Batac City—Vice Mayor Ronald Allan M. Nalupta questioned the proposal to separate Batac National High School (BNHS)-Bungon campus from its two annexes.

In a privilege speech during a regular session of the Batac Sangguniang Panlungsod, the vice mayor and council presiding officer said the proposed resolution was “not in order” as the separation should be done through a Republic Act.

He stressed that the conversion of the said school into a national high school was the initiative of his father, the late Rep. Mariano Nalupta Jr. through Section 7 of Republic Act 6655, or the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988. The said section of the Republic Act mandated the nationalization of all barangay high schools in the entire country.

The said school was known then as the Baay-Bungon Community High School which was subsequently renamed as Baay-Bungon National High School in 1988.

The Baay-Bungon National High School was later merged with the Payao National High School in 1991 and became officially known as the Batac National High School-Bungon Campus and Batac National High School-Payao Campus.

In 1998, the Batac National High School-Poblacion Campus was also established at Barangay Tabug.

The vice mayor said that amending a Republic Act can only be done through another Republic Act.

The proposed Batac council resolution requests Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro through Dept. of Education regional director Teresita Velasco for the approval of separating the mother school which is Batac National High School-Bungon Campus/Main Campus from its annexes, Batac National High School-Payao Campus and another in Poblacion Campus to be officially renamed as Batac National High School.

According to Mr. Nalupta, the former Baay-Bungon Community High School which became the Batac National High School Main Campus is one of the major accomplishments of his father during his term as congressman.

In his personal opinion, he said the solution to the problem of the school would be additional personnel and proper management and not separation.

He added that the BNHS-Bungon campus, which is the main campus, should not be the one to be separated from the others as the funding of all these three campuses go straight to the main campus based on the General Appropriations Act sponsored by the late Representative Nalupta.

As it is, Mr. Nalupta said that it should not be the main campus to be separated but it should be the other way around, or the annexes based on DepEd Order No. 40 series of 2014.

Barely five months when the late Congressman Nalupta died, “Ipeksak iti kaririknak, kapat-patay daydi amak kastoy iti pampamayan yon kadagiti proyekto na. Ket no kayat da ket mangipatakder da met a ngem saan met kuma a tay eskwela a dinung-dungngona”, the vice mayor said.

Mr. Nalupta reiterated that it was the people who requested his late father to solve the then-struggling Baay-Bungon Community High School because of lack of funding until it became successful by virtue of a national funding.

The vice mayor asked why is it only now that there is such a proposal? He cited the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), which also have other campuses and which are being managed well.

He also pointed out the fact that there is even no acknowledgement of his father who initiated the project.

Reacting to this, Batac councilor Lucky Rene Bunye, one of the sponsors of the said resolution, said he welcomes and respects the opinions of everyone at the council.

Mr. Bunye said his basis in sponsoring the resolution is based on the DepEd Order. However, he also decided to also seek advice from the DepEd Legal Department regarding the proposal and whatever would be the basis and which would be followed as a result of the deferment.

But as per advice of the BNHS school heads along with the Batac DepEd superintendent and the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) they want the main campus to be separated, Mr. Bunye said.

It is also stated in the resolution that the barangay chairpersons of the catchment areas of Batac NHS-Bungon Campus, general PTA officials and representatives of teachers and alumni of said school that they are strongly endorsing the separation of the mother school from its annexes.

In addition, “The separation of the three campuses with its respective organizational structures, expanded plantilla positions, and personal services, MOOE and capital outlay allocations in the General Appropriations Act will surely result to [sic] better and more focused administration and management of the separated schools, better facilities for the students and teachers, and better quality of learning,” the resolution stated.

The separation of the mother school from its annexes will surely open up more opportunities for career growth and advancement, higher morale for the teachers and administrators of the three campuses, the supporters of separation added.

The Ilocos Times tried to get the reaction of the BNHS Bungon Campus officer-in-charge but was unavailable as of press time.