HISTORY OF MANDALUYONG HIGH SCHOOL

Mandaluyong High School came about when Rizal Technological University, formerly Rizal Technological Colleges, started to reduce enrollment with the plan of a gradual phase-out of its high school department. In SY 1977–1978, the emerging new secondary high school enrolled the 1st and 2nd year high school students from Rizal Technological Colleges.

Mr. Rodrigo Vicencio, Jr., then Technical Assistant on Public Affairs of Mandaluyong during the incumbency of the late Mayor Renato Lopez, was very instrumental in the establishment and operation of Mandaluyong High School. Due to the persistence of the former, the latter approved an initial funding of Php100,000.00 from the local school board for the honorarium of teachers, mostly from Mandaluyong Elementary School, who handled the first batch of students, utilizing some vacant classrooms at Mandaluyong Elementary School.

As Mandaluyong High School started to operate as a premier municipal high school in Mandaluyong on July 21, 1977, its school head was Dr. Jesusa D. Ballesteros, a former English Department Head of Rizal High School, Pasig, with Mr. Rodrigo Vicencio, Jr., as School Executive Director.

Eventually, a national budget for the new school was allocated as assistance from the national government during the administration of late President Ferdinand E. Marcos for the construction of the 20-classroom third- and fourth-year buildings, now called Lopez I and II, located in Aglipay St., Brgy. Poblacion, Mandaluyong City. It was in S.Y. 1979–1980: Mandaluyong High School celebrated its first commencement exercises.

Since 1978, enrollment has consistently increased; thus, additional classrooms were necessary. In 1985, a two-story, four-room building was donated by a Chinese philanthropist, Mr. Tan Tian Huay, as one of the projects of the Federation of Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

After the EDSA Revolution in 1986, a nationwide political change ensued. Mrs. Corazon C. Aquino became the president of the Republic of the Philippines. In Mandaluyong, Atty. Benjamin S. Abalos, Sr., was designated as the officer-in-charge and later became the elected mayor. Through his initiative, a two-story, 12-classroom building was constructed—the Abalos Building.

In 1991, through the Educational Support Fund of the United States of America, the three-story E.S.F. Building was built to adhere to the needs of the growing school population.

In 1993, Mr. Manuel Y. Dingcong, Jr., became the second principal of the school, replacing Dr. Jesusa D. Ballesteros, who was transferred to Quirino High School, Quezon City. During Mr. Dingcong’s tenure, the late Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales, Sr., using his Countryside Development Fund, caused the construction of the Neptali A. Gonzales Administration Building, an architecture inspired by classical Greece.

In 2004, when Congressman Neptali M. Gonzales II became the city mayor, the four-story, 16-classroom Gonzales Building was built. Dr. Veneranda A. Raz was then assigned as the third principal of the school.

Over the years, the school needed frequent physical improvement and development. The two-story Abalos Building was demolished, and a new four-story, 23-room Abalos Building was constructed in 2005 through the initiative of Cong. Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. At that time, Dr. Evangelina A. Diaz headed the school as the fourth principal.

In 2011, the oldest school buildings on campus, the 33-year-old Lopez I and II, were demolished, and a nine-classroom DepEd building replaced the old Lopez II building.

In 2015, a four-story, 16-classroom school building was constructed on the site of the old Lopez I school building through the initiative of Congressman Neptali M. Gonzales II, intended for senior high school by SY 2016-2017, and inaugurated on August 25, 2015.

Another 4-story, 16 classrooms also for senior high school will be constructed by 2016, through the efforts of Congressman Neptali M. Gonzales II, to complete the classroom requirement in the school under the K–12 Education Program.

The school stands in five concrete structures with doors and windows facing the courtyard to create an open atmosphere for its almost three thousand students under the leadership of Mr. Rosarito A. Septimo, the fifth assigned principal.

On October 12, 2015, Dr. Victor M. Javeña, the Education Program Supervisor in Filipino and Division Focal Person for Senior High School, was assigned as Officer in Charge of Mandaluyong High School for 11 months (October 12, 2015–September 16, 2016). During his stay as the OIC principal, he was able to build rapport not only with the teachers and non-teaching staff but with the parents and students as well. He initiated the expansion of the school canteen in the department. Ed. Building in order to cater to the large population of MHS students.

On September 16, 2016, Dr. Ervin A. Salazar was assigned as the sixth principal, replacing Dr. Victor M. Javeña, who was then transferred to Mataas na Paaralang Neptali A. Gonzales. Dr. Salazar was a former MHS music teacher for 17 years during the time of Dr. Jesusa D. Ballesteros.

On July 17, 2017, the Senior High School Cookery and Dressmaking Laboratory for Grades 11 and 12 was inaugurated through the efforts of Honourable Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., and Honourable Carmelita A. Abalos.

A 4-story building with 16 classrooms for senior high school was inaugurated on November 8, 2017, through the efforts of Congressman Neptali M. Gonzales II and Congresswoman Alexandria P. Gonzales to complete the classroom requirement in the school under the K–12 Education Program.

Technical and vocational livelihood laboratory rooms were built for senior high school grades 11 and 12. The Auto Cad Laboratory and Technical Drafting Room were inaugurated on December 5, 2017 by Honourable Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., and Honourable Carmelita A. Abalos.