The establishment of the Tabuk City Division
Unlike the charters of the 15 other cities of the so-called 16 New Cities, Republic Act No. 9404, authored by then Congressman Lawrence B. Wacnang which converted the Municipality of Tabuk, Kalinga into a component city did not provide for the establishment of its own Schools Division. That is the very reason that it took exactly seven years from its conversion on June 24, 2007 before Tabuk City got separated as a Schools Division.
DepEd- CAR Regional Director Ellen B. Donato set the ball rolling sometime in 2012 after learning in a meeting of the National Management Committee of the Department of Education (DepEd) of the oversight in RA 9404, she requested Secretary Armin B. Luistro for time to work things out for the establishment of the Tabuk City Schools Division as it process not enough number of schools and manpower.
Director Donato then apprised Mayor Ferdinand B. Tubban of the intention with the latter expressing his desire to work with DepEd for the realization of the separate Schools Division. Immediately, he assigned City Legal Officer Ken Emery B. Martinez to work on all the requirements in coordination with the Kalinga Schools Division, then headed by SDS Marie Carolyn Verano and the DepEd Regional Office. Along with that, Mayor Ferdinand B. Tubban has also allocated the first floor of the old municipal hall as temporary location for the City Division office.
By the third quarter of 2012, the Tabuk City Government and the Kalinga Schools Division submitted the documents required from their respective office, to the DepEd- CAR which in turn indorsed the same to the DepEd national office. Finding the required documents in order, the DepEd National office prepared and sent the draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the LGU and the DepEd. Mayor Ferdinand B Tubban, then requested the Sangguniang Panlungsod for authority to enter into MOA with the DepEd.
The SP led by Vice Mayor Darwin Estrañero studied the draft MOA particularly on the questions of who will shoulder the refurbishment and furnishing of the temporary office of the Schools Division and the purchase of lot and cost of the construction of the Schools Division building and on August 16, 2013, the SP finally passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Tubban “to enter into MOA with the Department of Education relative to the establishment of the City Schools Division of Tabuk City.†The go signals from the legislature hastened the process of setting up the Division.
On October 23, 2013, the MOA signed by then Mayor Tubban and by then RD Ellen B.Donato and Kalinga SDS Marie Carolyn B. Verano was sent to them Education Secretary Armin Luistro . The MOA mandated the Tabuk City LGU to undertake needed renovation/ refurbishment of the old town hall which will temporarily host the Division office, execute a deed of donation on a parcel of land in favor of DepEd within a period of three years, as a permanent site of the division office and provide and maintain at its expense administrative and general services personnel, among others. Aside from the budgetary requirements, the MOA also required the full utilization of the Special Education Fund of the CLGU in the operation of the Schools Division.
On February 19, 2014 then Secretary Luistro and then RD Donato on the side of DepEd and then Mayor Tubban and then Councilor Antonio Bakilan, Committee on Education of the SP, on the side of the LGU ceremonially signed the Memorandum of Agreement in Baguio City setting off the last preparatory activities towards the formal opening of the Schools Division.
Works on the renovation of the temporary office started in April 2014 charged to the general fund of the CLGU. The works were still ongoing when Undersecretary Alberto Muyot came to formally present the incoming OIC- SDS Felipe L. Ballitoc and OIC- ASDS Benilda M. Daytaca as well as to inspect the renovation work in May 28.
At noon of June 24, 2014 the Tabuk City Schools Division Office was blessed after which, OIC-SDS Ballitoc and OIC- ASDS Daytaca were installed by RD Donato. Thus began the official existence of the Tabuk City Schools Division.
OIC-SDS Ballitoc and OIC-ASDS Daytaca assumed duty in Tabuk City Division July 1, 2014. With the 16 job-orders hired by the city LGU and with the designation of division coordinators based from the assessment of applicants, the interim personnel of the city division office were identified. Hence, division office started operations already.
With the tandem of OIC-Schools Division Superintendent Felipe L. Ballitoc and OIC- Asst. Schools Division Superintendent Benilda Daytaca and with the support provided by the designated personnel in the different offices and Tabuk City LGU, significant achievements were done. The SDO Tabuk City DEDP was crafted likewise to the creation of the SDO mantra†Forward Better TABUK. T stands for Teachers, A stands for Administrators, B for Buildings and UK for Universal Knowledge which aimed at delivering quality basic education to Tabukenos. In the exigency of service, however, Ma’am Benilda Daytaca was ordered to report to the SDO of Mountain province as OIC-ASDS. In August 2015 and on the same date.
Ma’am Irene S. Angway took her place as the new OIC-Asst. Division Superintendent. Both SDO leaders continued the implementation of various programs, projects and activities with the support from LGU and other stakeholders. The RAT Plan was implemented that opened up various positions likewise to the creation of the three functional Divisions, the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID), the School Governance Operations Division (SGOD) and Office of the Schools Division Superintendents (OSDS). The creation of 10 Districts (ETD 1-3, NTD 1-2, STD 1-3 and WTD 1-2) was also made possible during this time. This new SDO also had its own budget separate too SDO Kalinga during this time, Dilag was established as an integrated school. The creation of Tabuk City as a separate Sports Delegation in CARAA was started during this term too.
Reshuffling of school Heads in the exigency of service in June 2017 resulted to Mr. Felipe L. Ballitoc going home to SDO Ifugao while Madam Irene S. Angway was deployed to SDO Abra as the OIC-Schools Division Superintendent.
SDS Sally B. Ullalim came from Ifugao as the new head of SDO Tabuk City,and Madam Virginia A. Batan from SDO Mountain Province reported as the new OIC-Asst. Schools Division Superintendent. Like the earlier SDO leaders, the new tandem made significant achievements for the good of SDO Tabuk City. Plantilla items for SDO Tabuk City were separated from SDO Kalinga then headed by Madam Gloria Buya-ao. Financial concerns were completely separated and more significantly, lobbied for the establishment of SDO Tabuk City Office building from LGU proposed site to its present site at Bulanao Central School and increased funding of the construction of the SDO building from its earlier plan. The creation of Tabuk City as a new CARAA Team was realized.
The retirement of OIC-SDS Felipe L. Ballitoc ushered anticipated movements of SDO leaders. On April of 2018 SDS Ullalim left for SDO Mountain Province while OIC-ASDS Batan remained.
On April 2018, Madam Benedicta B. Gamatero succeeded the office. Like her predecessor, Mam Gamatero made significant achievements for SDO Tabuk City with Madam Batan. More buildings were repaired, greater number of new employees were hired and promoted. More significantly, in August 2019, she spearheaded the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the new SDO building at its present site.
Compulsory reshuffling of Division Heads happened on 2019 due to the promotion of SDS Ronald Castillo to ARD of Region 1. In September 2019, SDS Gamatero moved for Ifugao, Madam Batan remained as the OIC-ASDS.
In September 2019, Madam Irene S. Angway returned to SDO Tabuk City now as an OIC-Schools Division Superintendent. Their tandem with OIC-ASDS Batan significantly resulted to various achievements. Redeployment of Master Teachers to schools in need, reshuffling of school heads, Creation of 3 Integrated schools and Calaggan PS, defending Balawag site from being taken from Agrarian purposes, crafting of proposals for the creation of Balawag Sports Complex and conversion of Balawag NHS into Balawag Agro-Industrial School whose bill was later filed by Congressman Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang in congress establishment and creation of Tabuk EXCEL for quality Education services among Tabukenos and many more.
Amidst the pandemic, OIC-SDS Irene S. Angway and OIC-ASDS Feliciano Agsaoay who took place when OIC-ASDS Virginia A. Batan assumed as the OIC-ASDS of Mountain Province, stood tall to overcome challenges. They worked out with the help of the functional Divisions for the implementation of the Learning Continuity Operational Plan (LCOP) with remarkable accomplishments in the delivery of learning. Lobbying for the appropriation of 8 million support to Distance Learning from LGU Tabuk City under the leadership of Mayor Darwin Estranero and Vice Mayor Dao-as was one among the significant achievements.
With the new edifice, we are marveling at today, symbolic of the dedication of our DepEd leaders as well as our Local Government leaders and stakeholders to pursue education at its bests, we come to offer this landmark, our commitment to continue with more vigor in delivering quality education unmindful of the barriers and hazards for we believe that our children should not stop learning.
More improvements are on its way not only physically but on the way we deliver our services. We aim to be recognized in the 4 pillars of PRIME-HRM by December. By next year, we will be working to our ISO certification. These and all other extra efforts are proof of our dedication and commitment to always give our best in the service to the Tabukenos, especially the children, the reason of our existence as a Schools Division.
SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT
| Name | From | To |
| Felipe L. Ballitoc | 2014 | 2017 |
| Sally B. Ullalim | 2017 | 2018 |
| Benedicta B. Gamatero | 2018 | 2019 |
| Irene S. Angway | 2019 | 2023 |
| Benedicta B. Gamatero | 2023 | Present |
ASSISTANT SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT
| Name | From | To |
| Benilda M. Daytaca | 2014 | 2015 |
| Irene S. Angway | 2015 | 2017 |
| Virginia A. Batan | 2017 | 2020 |
| Feliciano L. Agsaoay Jr. | 2020 | 2023 |
| Jan Nowel E. Peña | 2023 | Present |