Camalig Mayor Hon. Carlos “Caloy” Irwin G. Baldo, Jr. convened an urgent meeting today with key officials to address the aftermath of the tragic fire that engulfed the historic Gabaldon Building at Camalig North Central School (CNCS).

 

The meeting, held at the Mayor’s Office conference room, was attended by heads from the Camalig Fire Station (FS), Camalig Municipal Police Station (MPS), CNCS Principal, North Public Schools District Supervisor (PSDS), Municipal Tourism and Cultural Heritage Office (MTCHO), Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), and the Camalig Public Information Office (CPIO).

 

Fire Marshall FISNP Warren Orendain reported that the Camalig FS received a distress call at 12:49 AM, yesterday, April 1, 2025, regarding the fire at the Gabaldon Building in Brgy. Salugan, Camalig, Albay. Immediate response was initiated, with two fire trucks dispatched to the scene. Neighboring local government units (LGUs) from Daraga, Guinobatan, and Ligao also deployed their fire trucks to assist. The Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) also provided crucial support by managing affected power lines. By 2:12 AM, the fire was declared “under control.” Preliminary estimates place the damage at Php 11,447,520. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

 

The Camalig FS, along with the Camalig MPS, under the leadership of COP PMAJ Karlo Dy, confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing.

 

The fire has disrupted classes for Grade 4 and Grade 5 students, as the Gabaldon Building housed their classrooms. CNCS officials have shifted some classes from in-person to modular learning. North Public Schools District Supervisor (PSDS) Aileen Manzanilla announced plans to implement Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) to ensure continuity of education. Additionally, necessary documents will be secured and submitted to higher authorities to facilitate the reconstruction of the building.

 

Baldo further suggested the temporary relocation of affected students to at least five conducive rooms at the Camalig Training Center (CTC) in Salugan, purposely to ensure that students can continue their face-to-face classes without significant disruption.

 

MTCHO chief Jed Villanueva assured that the national cultural agencies are open to assisting the Department of Education (DepEd) in the reconstruction efforts. The LGU-Camalig also pledged to prepare the necessary historical documents to support these initiatives.

 

MDRRMO chief Rommel Negrete, Jr., PhD, JD, D Hum, emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness in schools. He proposed the implementation of the “Oplan Ligtas na Paaralan” initiative and stressed the need to revisit school contingency plans. Negrete also highlighted regular safety checks in schools as a critical measure to prevent future incidents.

 

The Gabaldon Building, a tangible immovable cultural heritage property of Camalig, stood for almost 100 years before the fire. With its loss, only two Gabaldon buildings remain in Camalig: one at Camalig South Central School and another at Baligang Elementary School.