‘Most beautiful science high school campus’ starts construction

By Bong Cayabyab 

BAGUIO CITY - It will become the most beautiful and state-of-the art Philippine Science High School campus in the country.

               

Construction will start on August 10 for  phase I of the  worth P200 million  project  PSHS-Cordillera Administrative Region Academic building expected to be finished April next year.

               

These, according to PSHS-System executive director Dr. Jossette T. Biyowho bared these during ground breaking and time capsule laying ceremonies for the building in the city  last August 9.

Then congressman now mayor Mauricio Domogan authored House Bill No. 374 entitled “ An Act to Establish the Philippine Science High School in the Cordillera Administrative Region and Providing Funds Therefore and For Other Purposes”  in 2002 which was approved  six years later with modifications from the House  committee on science and technology on August 2008.

With the help of Rep. Bernardo Vergara and Ded-Ed officials headed by then Baguio City Schools Superintendent Ellen Donato (now the Dep-Ed CAR regional director) and Baguio City National High School principal Elma Donaal Resolution (2008-09-28) by the PSHS board of trustees in Sept. 11,2008 was approved establishing a PSHS-CAR  Campus otherwise  known as PSHS-CAR.

“This is a strong milestone for us and most importantly a strong demonstration of our long term commitment to inspire future professionals and leaders of Science and technology in the Cordillera Region,”  said FAD Chief,PSHS-CARC Rommel Lengwa during the ceremony.

The PSHS-CAR formally opened three years ago (Year 2009) and is now temporarily based at San Vicente Annex with 66 students from the Cordillera region.

The PSHS stakeholders and supporters were searching for a permanent site for the grand project including Longlong in La Trinidad, Dairy Farm in Green Valley and other sites until the Deed of Usufruct was signed by Department of Science and Technology Sec. Mario G. Montejo and  Department of Education Sec. Bro. Armin C. Luistro which paved the way for the  use of 1.5 hectares  BCNHS land property as the future site of PSHS-CARC.

As a gift to their alma matter, the Batch ‘89 with the help of the friends headed by Arch. Vladimir Longid, Patrick Andrew Gozon and Engr. Daniel Peckley Jr. prepared a master development plan and architectural and engineering designs and specification of the Academic Building Complex free of charge.        

“The ideal lot area of PSHS regional campuses is  five  hectares but through the help of our excellent consultants and space planners  have maximized the use of 1.5 hectare allotted area which will be develop to be at par with other regions or  better with other PSHS campuses in the country”, Lengwa said

The first infrastructure worth P50 million is allotted for the construction of academic building complex consisting classrooms, laboratories, library, faculty rooms, administrative offices and auditorium while the  construction of P12.5 million  Dormitory Building I to house about 100 students will follow soon said Domogan who led indigenous  cultural  rites  during ground breaking ceremonies.

Vergara and Domogan said they were proud that Baguio students can  out-perform   other students from other PSHS campuses in other regions based on their academic excellence. With the establishment of PSHS-CARC to be fully developed 2016, they said students and the city will benefit from a better educational system  considering Baguio is also one of the best educational centers in the country.