Businessman donates land for new high school

The Milagros Villarasa-Torres National High School building as seen from the GK Village.

AN alumnus of Jose Panganiban High School has donated a piece of land for a second national high school campus in Mambulao.

The property which is big enough to host a five-classroom high school building and other facilities such playgrounds was donated by businessman-rural banker Roberto V Torres last year.

The new national high school called Milagros Villarasa-Torres National High School is located next to Baranggay Gawad Kalinga on the outskirts of Mambulao town and a stone’s throw away from Baranggay Osmena, which sits along the shore of Mambulao Bay.

The school was named in honor of Torres’ mother, Mrs Milagros Villarasa-Torres.

Manned by eight teachers, the Milagros Villarasa-Torres National High School, caters to more than 200 students from the GK village, Osmena and nearby baranggays.

“Our students no longer have to spend on tricycle fares like they used to do when they were still attending high school in Parang (JPNHS) … the MVTNHS is just a walking distance,” according to Rosauro Trinidad, 56, who is an officer of the GK Kapitbahayan.

High school student Gladel Bordonada, 14, while at work at the food garden one weekend. - All MWBuzzpics by AP Hernandez

Second year high school student Gladel Bordonada, 14, from GK village, said she used to travel in tricycle to come to school in Parang.

She was referring to the Jose Panganiban National High School (JPNHS), her former school, which is about three kilometers away. Last school year, she transferred to the new school at her baranggay.

“Now, I can save on tricycle fares …” says Bordonada who works at the GK vegetable garden on weekends with her parents.

She will be third-year next school year.

The property on which the Gawad Kalinga village sits was also a donation from Torres.

-By AP Hernandez