The Gabaldon School Buildings or simply known as the Gabaldons is a term used to refer to heritage school buildings in the Philippines built during the

American colonial era The colonial history of the United States covers the history of European colonization of North America from the early 17th century until the incorporation of the Thirteen Colonies into the United States after the Revolutionary War. In the ...

. They are noted for the architecture inspired from the ''

bahay kubo The ''bahay kubo'', also known as ''payag'' (Nipon) in the Visayan languages and, is a type of stilt house indigenous to the Philippines. It often serves as an icon of Philippine culture. The house is exclusive to the lowland population of ...

'' and ''

bahay na bato ''Bahay na bato'' (Tagalog, literally "house of stone", also known in Visayan as ''balay na bato'' or ''balay nga bato; in Spanish as Casa Filipino'') is a type of building originating during the Philippines' Spanish colonial period. It is an ...

''.

Background

The Gabaldon School Buildings, also referred to as the Gabaldons, originated from Act No. 1801 or the Gabaldon Law, a legislation written by

Isauro Gabaldón Isauro Gabaldón y González (born Isauro González; December 8, 1875 – December 21, 1942) was a resident commissioner of the Philippines to the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1920 until 1928. Early life Gabaldón was bor ...

of the

Philippine Assembly The Philippine Assembly (sometimes called the Philippine National Assembly) was the lower house of the Philippine Legislature from 1907 to 1916, when it was renamed the House of Representatives of the Philippines. The Philippine Assembly wa ...

in 1907. The law provided for the funding of for the construction of modern public schools across the Philippine Islands from 1908 to 1915.

General architecture

The Gabaldons were built by the American colonial government with American architect, William E. Parsons as the designer of the blueprints of said buildings. A standard size of was conceptualized by Parsons for the school buildings regardless of the number of classrooms for swift construction of public schools. According to historians, the buildings are modern in design while drawing elements from the ''

'' and ''

'' common in most towns at that time. The Gabaldons are raised on a platform made of wood or concrete. The buildings also exhibits large windows and high ceilings for ventilation and lighting purposes.

Heritage status

The Gabaldons are protected under Philippine law under Republic Act No. 11194 or the Gabaldon School Buildings Conservation Act. Under the law the "modification, alteration, destruction, demolition or relocation" of Gabaldon buildings are illegal. The particular legislation also designates the Gabaldons as cultural properties citing another legislation known as the Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009. The law mandates

local government units Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...

to adopt measures for the protection and conservation of Gabaldon buildings under their jurisdiction.

References

{{reflist Cultural Properties of the Philippines