Historical Background

 

On August 16, 2000, President Joseph E. Estrada signed R. A. 8807 converting the municipality of Masbate into a component city, and on September 30, 2000, Masbate was officially proclaimed as component city.

The natural consequence of the conversion of the capital town into a component city is the establishment of the City Schools Division of Masbate.

It was on October 14, 2002 when the Division Office received a fax message from the Regional Director Dr. Teresita Diaz- Naz giving a go signal for its establishment, temporarily rescinding the required number of teachers. Due to Mr. Orlando Almario’s Retirement, the Asst. Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Anita Bueno- Castillo was temporarily advised by the Schools Division Superintendent Mr. Isagani A. Delavin to prepare the needed documents enumarated in the fax message, one of which was the Memorandum of Agreement between the City Mayor and Regional Director. Hence, said MOA was signed by both parties which explicitly provided the City Government shall shoulder the operation and other expenses for the purpose of putting up the City Division of Schools pending the release budget outlay of the department. Said MOA was signed on the 18th day of October, 2002.

On January 20, 2003, Mr. Ramon B. Basas, received his official designation as OIC Schools Division Superintendent from the Secretary of Education, Honorable Edilberto C. de Jesus. Hence, the birth of the Interim Division of City Schools for Masbate City and the “Blessing & Inauguration” of the City School Division Office took place on March 18, 2003.

On December 14, 2003, Dr. Anita Bueno-Castillo, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent of the Provincial Division, was promoted and appointed as the first regular School Division Superintendent in Masbate City Division.

It is worthy to note that from the planning stage to the present, the ever supportive City Mayor, Honorable Socrates M. Tuason is every inch behind this move. As a proof of his support, the City Division Office was housed in his former office- the Executive House, inside the City Hall Compound of Masbate City for two years.

On March 8, 2005, the Interim Schools Division of Masbate City was finally recognized as a regular schools division for meeting the required number of 750 public school teachers (including head teachers and principals) pursuant to DepED- DBM criteria on the establishment of a school division. On October 18, 2005, the old division office of Masbate Province was formally turned-over to the Division of City Schools where it is now in its full operation after its renovation, again, with the assistance from the City Government of Masbate.