There’s no stopping the Fariñas science high

Expected to open next year in Laoag City, particularly in Brgy. Vira—a hilly village where large Fariñas estates are located—is the Rodolfo CG. Fariñas, Jr. National Science High School.  President Rodrigo in December signed Republic Act No. 10965, the law mandating its creation.

 

People had mixed feelings about this news. While the creation of a new, modern, well-funded science high school in Ilocos Norte is a welcome development, the name baffles not just a few.

 

The most vocal critic is board member Vicentito Lazo who repeatedly pointed out in the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that “a street, plaza, or government building could be named after a person only after 10 years after his death except when that person had attained highly exceptional achievements or when the cause of death is due to patriotism or in the service of men.” The new science high school is named after Congressman and Majority Floor Leader Rudy Fariñas’ son JR who perished in a vehicular accident in 2015.

 

I would not deal with JR’s worthiness for such an honor or whether other great men and women better deserve the distinction, lest someone accuse me of disrespecting the dead, something I am not inclined to do. The Fariñas family, through the good congressman known for being a devoted father, have all the right to honor their departed loved one by any means allowed by law. And the law creating this science high school is by no means a weak piece of legislation.

 

After all, it was the majority floor leader together with no less than the Speaker of the House, Pantaleon Alvarez who introduced House Bill No. 5235 entitled, “An Act Establishing a National Science High School in the City of Laoag, Province of Ilocos Norte to be known as Laoag City National Science High School and Appropriating Funds Therefor.” Note here the originally proposed name of the school.

 

After going through the process in the Lower House, in August last year, the House sent it to the Senate, requesting for concurrence. After its first reading, the Senate referred it to the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture chaired by Senator Francis Escudero and the Committee on Finance chaired by Senator Loren Legarda.

 

The joint committee recommended the bill’s approval without amendment and was, thus presented on December 6, 2017 to the plenary for second reading through its sponsor, Senator Escudero. We must note though that on that day, the senator made an ominous sponsorship speech for 17 bills that seek to establish, separate, convert, and/or rename one elementary school and 16 secondary schools—including the Laoag City National Science High School.

 

In his explanatory note, Mr. Escudero posited that “Laoag City, being the capital of the Province of Ilocos Norte, deserves to have its own science high school… Its establishment aims to offer courses that focus on the fields of science, technology and mathematics. It will not only provide free and quality education but will also facilitate better opportunities for the future of the city’s youth.”

 

Normally, senators have the time to review proposed bills before the period of interpellation but considering that the 17 bills are of local application and that local legislators, in this case the members of Congress who sponsored the bills, are “better informed and better equipped to make a judgment on these proposed bills,” the senators proceeded with the interpellation.

 

But no one stood during the interpellation and no one proposed any amendments for any of the 17 bills… save for one. Senator Franklin Drilon made a manifestation proposing the renaming of the Laoag City National Science High School as Rodolfo CG. Fariñas Jr. National Science High School. The sponsor accepted the proposal, and there being no objection, the body approved the amendment to House Bill No. 5235. The Senate approved it approved on second reading that day and subsequently approved it on third (and final) reading on December 11, 2017 through a unanimous vote.

 

On December 13, 2017, Congress sent HB 5235 to the Office of the President of the Philippines. A few days after, December 19, 2017, President Duterte approved and signed it into law by and became Republic Act No. 10965.

 

What I wanted to show here is that the law creating the Rodolfo CG. Fariñas Jr. National Science High School clearly went through the process and had the overwhelming support of the legislature and the Philippine president.

 

Is it legal? Yes. Unless someone challenges RA 10965’s constitutionality in the Supreme Court where it can declare it as unconstitutional, it is a law that must be enforced and respected. But will anyone challenge it before the High Court? And who?

 

I don’t think even Governor Imee Marcos will go at great lengths to challenge this in the Supreme Court. She is now busy in her senatorial run, and this is not the best time to be at loggerheads with Congressman Fariñas. The memories of the 7171 congressional probe are still fresh. In fact, the house has yet to fully and finally terminate the inquiry and thus remains a potent bargaining chip of Congressman Fariñas.

 

Granting that somebody brave would challenge the wisdom of the legislature and the executive branches of the Philippine government and would actually file a case in the Supreme Court, such person would all be but a hopeless martyr, if not a fool, wasting time and resources, and not least because after the Sereno impeachment, who among the justices would wish upon themselves the ire of a major presidential ally such as Congressman Fariñas?

 

And so, we can say now with certainty that the Rodolfo CG. Fariñas, Jr. National Science High School, barring any major political upheaval or popular dissent, will open next year. According to news reports, the initial science building will cost at least PHP110 million and will stand on a three-hectare government lot. Indeed, I have no doubts that Congressman Fariñas—especially because their family name, his beloved son’s name is at stake—will do everything within his vast powers to make it a good one, a great one, one hell of a model science high school in the country. And if this happens, the Ilocano learner will stand to benefit.

 

But this science high school, having the name it has, will also be a publicly funded monument of a family’s love for a departed member. It will moreover be an unmistakable proof of something we in this country already know and must endure for a longer time, perhaps for eternity unless we move towards political maturity: that politicians do things because they could.

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