Pedro Guevarra Memorial National High School (Santa Cruz)

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The Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School, formerly Laguna High School was established by virtue of a law passed by the Insular Government on March 7, 1902. In that same year, it was opened in a building owned by the Falcon family (Santa Cruz) at the site of the present home of the heirs of the late Dr. Basilio Falcon. The first principal was an American by the name of Mr. Milly.In 1903, the school was transferred to the neighboring municipality of Pagsanjan. It was housed in what is now the town hall. The principals were, successively, a Mr. Garbot and a Mr. MacDermott.In 1911, however, the Provincial Board of Laguna returned the high school to the capital (Santa Cruz). It occupied the building of the old Fabrica Ilusion, a subsidiary of the Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas, at the present site of the Court of First Instance.The cornerstone of the present high school was laid in January 1914 on what was formerly a cemetery. Its first building, which now houses the main building, was finally completed in 1924. Its first Filipino principal was Mr. Aquilino Cariño and the first Filipino teachers were Mr. Alejandro Adea, Mrs. Eustaquia de los Reyes and Mr. Antonio Maceda.The school sent forth its first graduate in 1917 with Dr. Vicente Torrechante and Mrs. Felicidad Fabiero-Llamas as Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively.When World War II broke out in 1941, the Japanese occupation forces used the high school building as barracks. This resulted in the total destruction of all the equipment and partial damage to the edifice itself.After the war, the provincial government with the assistance of the PTA rehabilitated the school. This marked the start of the consistent growth of the school.During the school year 1954-1955, an Act of Congress known as RA No. 238 sponsored by Congressman Wenceslao Rancap Lagumbay, one of its outstanding alumni, changed the name Laguna High School to Pedro Guevara Memorial High School in honor of Don Pedro Guevara, an illustrious son of Santa Cruz and former resident commissioner to the US. In 1995, the school was nationalized. At present, it has a complete set of administrative and support staff doing all the office work and catering to the needs of a little less than 250 teachers.Being a Division Leader School (DLS), seminars in the Division of Laguna and Region IV are frequently held here.As a member of the network of 110 Science and Technology High Schools in the Philippines: DOST-SEI-SEP, the school is continuously offering Special Science Classes to the talented students in Science and Mathematics.The Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School has sent forth into the world thousands of useful citizens and trained leaders now engaged in the task of developing their community, carrying a name for themselves, perpetuating the way of life their mentor trained them in.Under the able administration of the present principal, it holds the promise of a brighter future.School Information:Pedro Guevara Memorial National High SchoolP. Guevara Avenue, Santa Cruz, Laguna 4009Phone: (049) 810-1238FAX: (049) 808-1924