Tomas Claudio Memorial Elementary School

Tomas Claudio Memorial Elementary School, formerly called Tomas Claudio Memorial School, was constructed in 1921 in honor of Private Tomas Mateo Claudio, the first Filipino hero of Morong, Rizal, in the Philippines, who died during World War I in France. The school is considered the Alma Mater of most Moronguenos.HistoryBefore Tomas Claudio Memorial Elementary School was constructed, an elementary school known as Morong Elementary School or Morong Central School was already operating in 1901, which was housed at the Commandancia.Former Municipal President Felix San Juan urged a committee to send a resolution to the National Assembly to request for an appropriation of fifteen thousand pesos for a school building in honor of Private Tomas Mateo Claudio. On February 24, 1920, an act was passed and signed into law by then Governor General Francis Burton Harrison to appropriate the sum of fifteen thousand pesos as additional funds for the construction of an intermediate school in Morong, Rizal.As provided in Section 2 of the said Act, a bust or relief medallion made of bronze and marble representing Tomas Mateo Claudio must be installed on the facade of the school building.When the school building was completed, classes from Grades 5 to 7 were held in the new building while Grades 1 to 4 remained in the Commandancia. In 1927, a Home Economics building was constructed. A few years later, more rooms were added to the main building. Former First Lady Aurora Quezon admired the school's library and museum during her visit to the school in 1938.