Fire hits oldest high school in the Philippines

TARLAC CITY, Philippines – The Tarlac National High School – the country’s oldest public high school – was razed to the ground on Wednesday, October 28.

At around 2 pm, smoke was seen coming from the school’s old, Gabaldon-type building. 

School teachers attending a visual arts seminar held at a separate gymnasium saw the smoke and immediately reported it to authorities.

The school is on its semestral break. 

There were no reported injuries or casualties as of posting, and authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire. The fire was declared to have been put out at around 3:45 pm.

According to Tarlac’s official website, Tarlac National High School is the seat of the oldest public high school system in the country, established by the Thomasites in 1902, after the American occupation. 

Its first principal was an American named Frank Russel White, who was then the deputy division superintendent for the province. 

One of its most distinguised alumni is former foreign secretary, General Carlos P. Romulo, who was the president of the 4th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The school celebrated its 113th founding anniversary last September. – Rappler.com