Congress ok’s Dalog bill converting 2 MP schools to tech-voc

By Erlindo Agwilang, Jr.

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- It seemed very timely with this year’s implementation of Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education (K-12) Act of 2013 as President Benigno S. Aquino has signed two laws converting national high schools into national technical- vocational schools, all located in the municipalities of Sadanga and Natonin of this province. 

Aquino penned the two laws last May 11, 2016 after the Senate and the House of Representatives jointly approved the same last Feb. 2. 

Rep. Maximo B, Dalog, principal author of said laws revealed that under RA No. 10839 and RA No. 10840, the Sadanga National High School will now be known as Sadanga National-Technical Vocational and Skills Trainings High School while the Saliok National High School in Natonin will be recognized as Saliok National Technical-Vocational Skills Training High School.   

Dalog said he was very pleased with this development considering that there are no existing techno-vocational high schools in the municipalities of Sadanga and Natonin despite the government’s strong resolve to implement the K-12 basic education curriculum this year.

“The labor market needs so many trained skilled workers as substantiated by various advertisements; however, many students opt to go to academic high schools because there are no established techno-vocational schools in their area to cater to their instructional interests. With these laws passed, it will certainly address the need for trained techno-vocational individuals to play an active role in the techno-vocational field especially in the municipalities of Sadanga and Natonin including nearby areas,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, Section 3 of both RA 10839 and RA 10840 mandates the Secretary of the Department of Education to immediately include in the Department’s program the operationalization of the two techno-vocational high schools, with the initial funding to be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the two schools. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued operation of the schools shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.