RNHS de Mindoro Alumni Association, Inc.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

Alarmed by the increasing number of out-of-school youth in the community who failed to pursue high school education due to exorbitant cost of enrolment fees in the private school, the dynamic and concerned elementary School Principal Mr. Aniceto P. Elveña initiated to convene the barangay captains and PTA officers of seven (7) barangays (Adela, Rumbang, Salvacion, Malawaan, Magsikap, San Pedro and Sto. Niño) and successfully convinced them of putting up a high school known as SAN JOSE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL in 1966. The initial operation of the school offered two (2) curriculum years, the 1st and 2nd year. Majority of the teaching force were then part-time elementary grades teachers with major fields of specialization in Mathematics, Science and English. The minimum tuition fees collected from the students served as the source of fund for the salaries of those teachers.. Bayanihan spirit made possible the makeshift building, which was purposely constructed to house the high school students in the elementary school compound.
Mr. Aniceto P. Elveña and concerned civic-spirited citizen namely Mr. Demetrio Pasos, Jose Monoso, Antonio David and others, who allegedly owned the present school site, executed a Deed of Donation in favor of the municipal government who developed the property into a permanent high school site in 1970. Mr. Aniceto P. Elveña, the founder, was the first School Administrator. He was succeeded by Mrs. Irma Cacho, Miss Teresita E. Venus, and Mrs. Thelma L. Manuel. Mr. Ernesto C. Esteves succeeded Mrs. Manuel since 1979 to date.
Due to the problem of collecting tuition fees from the marginalized parents, the PTA officers succeeded in their appeal to the municipal government to adopt the high school into Rizal Municipal High School during the incumbency of Honorable Mayor Rufino C. Lliabres.
Adoption of the school into a Municipal High School in year 1970 has no significant effect in terms of fiscal matter. Thus the parents-teachers association never ceased its appeal to the authorities concerned for the conversion of the school into a National High School with fiscal autonomy for obvious reasons. The Messiah came sometime in February 1982 in the person of the late Honorable Assemblyman Pedro T. Mendiola, Sr. who signified to do his best to convert the school into Rizal National High School but with no assurance, for His Excellency President Ferdinand E. Marcos promised only two (2) high schools for conversion per assemblyman by district, while Assemblyman Mendiola had already submitted three schools for conversion viz: 1) Mamburao National High School, 2) Sablayan National High School and 3) San Jose National High School into Occidental Mindoro National College.
Unexpectedly, the Late Honorable Assemblyman Pedro T. Mendiola, Sr. surprised the people of Rizal by passing PARLIAMENTARY BILL No. 2688 on July 26, 1982 which was subsequently approved on June 24, 1983 as Batas Pambansa Blg. 603. The realization of the conversion of the school was through the initiative and constant follow-up of the then HONORABLE MAYOR BARTOLOME H. MIRANDA coupled with the concerted support from the PTCA and the community.

The school is bounded in the north and south by vacant private lands, in the east by residential lots and vast ricefield and in the west by elementary school compound and China Sea thus giving way to farming and fishing as the main source of livelihood.
The school has a total land area of 22,416 square meters and is 3.5 kilometers away from the national highway. It has twenty-three classrooms including the newly constructed two-classroom building through the initiative of Honorable Congresswoman and Deputy Speaker Amelita C. Villarosa. Its sub-standard Library and Administration buildings are renovated Marcos pre-fab buildings. It has also Home Economics building, 1 Science Laboratory building, 1 Practical Arts building and 1 Information Technology Center donated by PLAN International and Adela Barangay Council. Other tangible projects like the Multipurpose stage, cooperative canteen, CAT/SSG Head Quarters, Cooperative store, water system, basketball court, steel gates, mini fence, concrete benches, covered walk, cemented pathways and concrete fence are realized through the collaborative efforts of the school administration, school PTCA, SSG, employees’ cooperative and through solicitations/donations from civic-spirited individuals, concerned government officials and school alumni.
The school has twenty-two (22) classes with 7 sections-First Year, 6 sections-Second Year, 5 sections-Third Year and 4 sections-Fourth Year, with a total graduates of more than Five Thousand Five Hundred (5,500+) students as of March 2012, coming from six feeder barangays namely: Adela, Rumbang, Salvacion, Malawaan, San Pedro, and Sto. Niño.
The school has been consistently adjudged as the “Cleanest and Greenest School” throughout the Division. It has garnered several awards in academics, sports and other school related competitions. The biggest among the 4 secondary schools in the municipality, it has its own Fiscal autonomy and maintained its high respect among other institutions in the province. It has fully air-conditioned Information and Technology Center catering computer literacy training to all students, teachers and interested individuals. The biggest stage in Occidental Mindoro is situated almost at the center of the school compound between the administration building and the Emilio Miller, Sr. Building. The multipurpose stage serves as the venue of the different activities held in school throughout the year.
True love for education and concern for the welfare of the youth and the community rolled into one - these are the factors which inspired the concerned and benevolent people behind the existence of the pride of the Rizalians – RIZAL NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.