REP. Carlos Padilla (Lone District, Nueva Vizcaya) today thanked President Aquino for signing into law last month the lawmaker’s bill seeking to create a national high school in Nueva Vizcaya, which will benefit largely youth from poor families and indigenous communities in remote barangays.
Padilla, a Deputy Minority Leader, said President Aquino last April 16, 2013 signed into law his House Bill 1210 as Republic Act 10482 which is “An Act Establishing a National High School in Barangay Dagupan, Municipality of Quezon, Province of Nueva Vizcaya, to be Known as Dippog National High School and Appropriating Funds Therefor.”
“We truly thank the President for supporting us in our effort to help more youth get free education which will be their main tool in uplifting themselves and their families from poverty. Offering free public high school is a matter of national policy, and that the demand for education should be adequately addressed,” said Padilla.
The former House Minority Leader said in the case of the Dippog National High School, its establishment involves four feeder barangays: Dagupan and Bonifacio, both of Quezon municipality, and Baretbet-Palayan of Bagabag municipality of Nueva Vizcaya, and Don Mariano Perez of Quirino province.
“The inhabitants of these barangays are members of tribal communities: the Ayangan, Kalanguya with a few Ibaloi, Kankanai and Ilocano. It has been observed that due to the remoteness of these barangays, illiteracy remains high in these areas,” said Padilla.
The veteran lawmaker said because of the remoteness of these barangays and the crooked roads, the youth need to trek some 32 kilometers to reach the nearest school in the poblacion.
Padilla said if the roads were straight, the trekking distance would only be 10 to 15 kilometers. Another problem of the youth is that there is no regular means of transportation for them to reach the nearest school. He further said only a few youth are able to go to school because of the expensive tuition.
Padilla said the Dippog National High School provides the only chance for members of these indigenous communities and the poor to be able to go to school.