BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL
 ANTONIO J. VILLEGAS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

            WITH THE IMPOSITION OF THE MARTIAL LAW IN 1972, TONDO

FORESHORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WAS CREATED IN OCTOBER 1975 TO IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA. VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURES SUCH AS ROADS AND BRIDGES, HOUSING,HEALTH CENTERS,PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES INCLUDING TRAINING CENTERS AND SCHOOLS WERE PUT UP.

            IN 1978, A NUMBER OF BARANGAY AND CIVIC LEADERS OF THE TONDO FORESHORE AREA SIGNED A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE TO AUTHORIZE THE EARIST TO OPEN A TECHNICAL – VOCATIONAL BRANCH IN THE AREA. THE PETITION STEMMED FROM THE DESIRE OF THE PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN INEXPENSIVE EDUCATION  TO ENABLE THEM TO ACQUIRE SKILLS FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT AND THEREBY UPLIFT THEIR DEPRESSED CONDITION.

            IN 1978, THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION  GAVE THE EARIST THE GO SIGNAL TO ESTABLISH A VOCATIONAL – TECHNICAL BRANCH IN MAGSAYSAY VILLAGE IN TONDO AND THUS WAS BORN OF THE TONDO SCHOOL OF ARTS AND TRADES.

            THE LATE CITY MAYOR ANTONIO J.VILLEGAS A DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN AND LEADER FROM THE DISTRICT OF TONDO, DEMONSTRATED A KEEN INTEREST IN THE EDUCATION OF THE CITY RESIDENTS, ESTABLISHED EARIST TONDO SCHOOL UPON HIS INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF POOR BUT DESERVING YOUTHS IN MANILA.  

            UPON THE CONSULTATION WITH THE PHILIPPINE HISTORICAL COMMISSION PURSUANT TO BOOK 1, CHAPTER 2,  SECTION 13 (B) (3) OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, IN RELATION TO SECTION 458 NO. 5 (X) OF THE SAME CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF MANILA CONSIDERED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCHOOL TO BE A FITTING TRIBUTE TO THE LEGACY OF A GREAT CITY LEADER TO THE YOUTH OF TONDO, IN PARTICULAR  AND THE CITY IN GENERAL, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ANTONIO J. VILLEGAS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL OUT OF EARIST TONDO SCHOOL.

            MARCH 1982, THE NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY EXECUTED A DEED OF AWARD AND TRANSFER OF A LOT TO THE CITY OF MANILA REPRESENTED BY ITS MAYOR, RAMON D. BAGATSING AND TO THE EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, HILARIO G. NUDAS.

            MARCH 1994, EARIST REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. ARTURO CASUGA, ENTERRED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MANILA REPRESENTED BY CITY MAYOR, HON. ALFREDO S. LIM, TRANSFERRED THE OWNERSHIP AND TITLE OF THE LAND, BUILDING AND OTHER IMPROVEMENT OF ITS BRANCH IN TONDO TO THE CITY OF MANILA TO BE USED BY ANTONIO J. VILLEGAS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF DCS, MANILA AND FOR THE OFFERING OF POST SECONDARY TECHNICAL COURSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EARIST CHARTER, DECS POLICIES AND MANILA’S INTEREST.

            A CHAIN OF ADMINISTRATORS WERE ASSIGNED TO MANAGE THE SCHOOL AND LEGALIZE ITS ESTABLISHMENT AS ANTONIO J. VILLEGAS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND ITS OPERATION BY THE CITY OF MANILA AND THE DECS RESPECTIVELY.

            JUNE, 1994, THE SCHOOL WAS INAUGURATED AND RENAMED AS ANTONIO J. VILLEGAS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND STARTED ITS OPERATION WITH ALMOST 200 STUDENTS (FIRST YEAR AND SECOND YEAR) AND FIVE TEACHERS WHO WERE LOANED FROM OTHER PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS OF MANILA. THERE WERE NO FACILITIES EXCEPT THE BUILDING HENCE STUDENTS HAVE TO SIT ON THE FLOOR AND THE TEACHERS HAVE TO WRITE ON MANILA PAPERS.

            NOVEMBER, 1995, THE CITY ORDINANCE 7892 WAS APPROVED LEGALIZING THE ESTABLISHEMENT AS ANTONIO J. VILLEGAS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL OUT OF EARIST TONDO SCHOOL.

            ANTONIO J. VILLEGAS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CULTURE AND SPORTS. THE SCHOOL’S OPERATION WAS CONDITIONALLY APPROVED BY SEC. RICARDO T. GLORIA PENDING THE SUBMISSION OF THE CONTRACT OF USUFRUCT BETWEEN DECS AND THE CITY OF MANILA.

            MARCH, 1997, THE CONTRACT OF USUFRUCT WAS SIGNED BETWEEN THE CITY OF MANILA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CULTURE AND SPORTS REPRESENTED BY HON. MAYOR ALFREDO S. LIM AND DR. PARALUMAN R. GIRON RESPECTIVELY.

            AFTER THREE YEARS OF OPERATION, THE SCHOOL CONDUCTED ITS FIRST COMMENCEMENT EXCERCISES COMPOSED OF TWELVE (12) BOYS AND TEN (10) GIRLS FROM THE TONDO COMMUNITY.

            TODAY, IN ITS 10TH YEAR OF EXISTENCE, THE SCHOOL HAS AN ENROLMENT OF 1798 STUDENTS, 50 FACULTY, 2 DEPARTMENT HEADS, 4 SUPPORT STAFF AND UTILITY PERSONNEL AND 2 SECURITY GUARDS.