To Achieve is To Believe: Revil-Bajar National High School’ Rainbow After the Rain

by: Luzel Jayubo-Bartolay

“It`s either we do it big and win big or not do it at all,” the echoing proud words of Mr. Raden C.
Barredo, Teacher-in-charge of Revil-Bajar National High School.

Motivation.
Determination.
Inspiration.

Three words that armored Revil-Bajar National High School bagging and taking home Brigada
Eswela National Award not just once, not twice but THRICE engraving them in the Hall of Fame for Small
School Category.

Humble Beginnings: One Step At a Time

Revil-Bajar National High School is located at Barangay Poblacion West, Milagros, Masbate.
It is the only public secondary school located at the heart of the municipality. It has been serving learners in
nearby and adjacent barangays as well as in other far flung barangays. It was first established June of 2015.
The one-hectare area was donated by the retired Regional Director Jovencio T. Revil and retired Masbate
Province Schools Division Superintendent Hilda Bajar Revil thus the name of the school as Revil-Bajar
National High School.
During its first year of implementation, the school’s learning center was at the Barangay hall during
which time there was only 1 class of Grade 7 with 31 students and one teacher and a Teacher-In-Charge-Mr.
Raden C. Barredo who were both borrowed from another school.
At present, the school has 13 teachers and 360 students as of school year 2021-2022 which is a
dramatic increase considering its first year of implementation five year ago. Now, the school has 5 buildings
with 9 classrooms in total, all donations from different stakeholders like the Local Government Unit of
Milagros (1-classroom building), the Provincial Government of Masbate during the time of former Governor
Vince Revil (3-classroom building), KALAHI-CIDSS (3-classroom building), Masbate Gold Project (2-
classroom building), DUBAI CARES (ALS Learning Center). Also among the major infrastructure
donations to the school is a covered court initiated by Hon. Mayor Naty Revil-Magbalon and Hon. Vice
Mayor Jose S. Magbalon Jr and former Vice Governor Kaye Revil and was donated by the Office of Senator
Bam Aquino. Other major donations of the school include the 385 armchairs, concrete fence and pathway,
segregated toilet, handwashing facilities, rain collector, solar lights, electricity power, school head’s office,
and school gate among others.
As for the classes, the school has 11 sections (2 sections per grade level up to Grade 11 and 1 section
for Grade 12). It has 13 teachers, 11 of which are junior high school teachers, 2 senior high school teachers
and 1 Teacher-in-Charge. The first batch of Senior High School as Grade 11 started S.Y. 2020-2021 and is
currently in its second year of implementation with the first ever batch of Strand with Bread and Pastry and
welding as electives.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Revil-Bajar NHS journey to fame comes with a reasonable amount of challenges. They have
their fair share of playful waves as they sail the sea of recognition. According to Sir Raden, one of the few
struggles they have to face was the lack of manpower since they are only a small school. Everyone is
utilized especially the learners and the teachers, and they have been an integral part to the achievements of
the school. They also encountered lack of support from other agencies and stakeholders which challenged
them to put more effort in giving appreciation to the stakeholders who chose to extend a helping hand rather
than raised eyebrows. In this perfectly imperfect world, stories and talks about exhaustion, hardship and how
tiresome it is to join such contests created a peculiar feeling of doubt to Sir Raden boiling a momentary cold
feet of whether or not, joining the contest will be worth all the efforts.

“Joining the Search for Brigada Eskwela Best School Implementers is not an easy task. Not only do
we have to condition ourselves as the school head and the coordinator, but we also have to condition the
teachers, the learners, and the community. We have to put emphasis that we are not doing this for personal
gain but for the learners of the school for them to be able to receive that quality education every learner
deserves by providing a healthy and safe learning environment capable of competing with the rest of the
world. From the first moment we decided to join, all hands were on deck. The school conducted several
teambuilding activities, workshops on document preparation, orientation and courtesy calls to different
stakeholders so that everyone is aware, and they are informed and well-oriented of their roles and parts and
what was about to take place. From the advocacy campaigns up to the post implementation, we all worked
together and supported one another.

“You see, when you do something not only for yourself but for the betterment of the people you care
about around you, exhaustion is just a small price to pay. We just take them as part of the challenges we
have to face and used them to fuel our energy to even want to do this thing more and more everyday. And
with also the support of our stakeholders and the community, and our faith and trust in our Lord God, we
were able to overcome them.

Perhaps you can say we are too ambitious to be reaching for something that is beyond our reach but
it was this ambition that drove us to where the school is at right now. A school that even just a mention of
the name will be accompanied by these achievements that only a few have been given the privileged to
reach. And because of that that we are beyond grateful to our stakeholders, school community, LGU
Milagros, teachers, our learners and to the Lord God because without them, the school would be nothing. I
owe it to them, and I dedicate the awards to them,” exclaimed Sir Raden as he proudly shared the
preparations and struggles and how they faced them heads on.

On 2018, Revil-Bajar had their first taste of success after winning the National award which
according to Sir Raden was an exhilarating experience since it was not only a win for the school and the
Division of Masbate but the win for the whole municipality of Milagros being the only municipality in the
whole Bicol Region at that time to have two school National Awardees. With this, the school together with
the stakeholders vowed to work hand in hand to reach the Hall of Fame Award.

Remaining true to their promise, they receive the same National Award for Brigada Eskwela, small
school category on 2019 and 2021 respectively pinning them on the Hall of Fame.
Moreover, the whole experience is a clear manifestation that no matter how troubled the water is, as
long as the bridge is established with sturdy foundation cemented with resiliency, it will stand the test of
time.

Harvest Time: Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

Despite the onslaught brought about by COVID-19 pandemic, Revil-Bajar NHS with its tag line
“One School, One Community, One Family,” was able to generate 1.6 million pesos for Brigada Eswela
2021 which brought them to the highest pedestal.

“Revil-Bajar National High School will always be the epitome of an institution that is built for the
community, by the community and with the community. Other schools may win National Awards but there
will only be one REVIL-BAJAR NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- a school that was literally established and
developed by the stakeholders. From the time where you first turn right to make your way to the school and
everything you see from there point on (facilities, buildings, covered court, armchairs, fence, pathway,
classroom structures, etc.) is either donated or given by stakeholders,” said Sir Raden while explaining that
the support of the stakehoders are overwhelming and that to say they are tremendous is indeed, an
understatement.

Cliché as it may sound but Revil-Bajar NHS has finally reach the pot of gold at the end of the
rainbow. They are now reaping the fruit of their long, arduous expedition in providing quality education to
Masbateño learners. In fact, the recognition has helped the school in preparing for the learning recovery of
the school from the pandemic in such a way that because of Brigada Eskwela , Revil-Bajar National High
School has the means and facilities to cater to the needs of the learners (facilities-wise and preparedness-
wise).

“My greatest takeaway from the experience probably will be the fact that BAYANIHAN IS REAL.
That the success of one single structure depends on the support of the people around it. That just like the
PAGDANGAN FESTIVAL of my beloved Municipality, when we all come together for one common goal no
matter how big it is, no matter how impossible it may seem, you can reach it.

Do it. Win or lose, you will gain something from the experience because no matter what the outcome
will be, it`s our learners that will always be the winners. The award is just a bonus. Create a strong support
system, believe in yourself, and always bear in mind why you are doing what you`re doing and who you`re
doing it for, and keep your faith in the Lord. With these things, you will see that anything is possible,”
disclosed Sir Raden as he shared a piece of advice to all aspiring school which would love to follow their
footsteps.

Indeed, Helen Keller was right when she said that alone we can do so little but together we can do so
much. This is proven true by Revil- Bajar NHS , a school which chose to swim the river of uncertainties
and pave its way to recognition and fame bringing with them
Motivation.
Determination.
Inspiration.#