GSAT HISTORY
Glan School of Arts and Trades (GSAT) is
formerly known as Glan Vocational High School
(GVHS) – a public vocational secondary school created
by Republic Act No. 5379 in 1968 through the
authorship of Congressman James L. Chiongbian then
representing the lone district of South Cotabato. It
became operational in 1971 with enrolment of 152 first
year high school students. In school year 1975- 1976,
GVHS opened the 2-year Trade Technical Program with
an enrolment of 136 majoring in Technical Electricity,
Technical Automotive, Technical Food Trades, Technical
Garment Trades and Technical Machine Shop. To follow
up the graduates of the two-year trade technical
education program, in school year 1977- 1978 the school
started the third year of the four-year industrial teacher
education curriculum. The initial students of the diploma
program were the 40 graduates of the trade technical
education program.
In 1979, the school administration requested
Assemblyman Jose T. Sison to sponsor a bill changing the
name of Glan Vocational High School. The effort of
Assemblyman Sison brought about the passage of Batas
Pambansa Bilang 781 which changed the name of the
school into Glan School of Arts and Trades. The new law,
however, did not change the status of the school into
higher education institution. Thus, it remained as a
technical-vocational school. Nevertheless, there were
many attempts by the school administration to elevate
the status of the school into college. The former
administrator – the late Lorenzo H. Dideles – during the
Martial Law years worked for a presidential decree
converting the school into Southern Philippines Institute
of Technology. The University of Southern Mindanao then
the Mindanao Institute of Technology also sent feelers to
place the school under its wings when it was working out
for the conversion of the college into a university.
Assemblyman Bicbic Garcia in the late 1970’s also
proposed for the clustering of General Santos National
School of Arts and Trades, Glan school of Arts and Trades
and Bula School of Fishery into a single state college.
Through the resolutions made by the GSAT-PTA, the
student body, and the Sangguniang Bayan of Glan,
Congressman James L. Chiongbian introduced a bill in the
House of Representatives in 1993 for the conversion of
Glan School of Arts and Trades into a full-fledged college
to be known as Glan Institute of Science and Technology.
The bill reached the third reading in the lower house but
its passage did not prosper because of the moratorium in
the creation of state colleges and universities. In 1996
the bill was filed anew in the House of Representatives.
However, it was not favorably acted upon until the end of
the term of the late Sarangani Representative James L.
Chiongbian who later authored a new bill for the
conversion of the school into a state college to be known
as Sarangani Polytechnic State College and deliberated it
in the House of Congress and introduced in 2002.
When RA No. 7722, otherwise known as the
Commission on Higher Education, was implemented in
1996, the CHED wanted to get GSAT into its fold because
of the collegiate (teacher education) program and being
the only CHED-supervised institution in Region XI.
However, the following year the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was quicker to the
draw. TESDA was created by RA No. 7796 of 1995 is
mandated to handle the technical- vocational non-degree
programs in the country. It assumed the roles of the
National Manpower Youth Council and the Bureau of
Technical-Vocational Education. GSAT was put under the
governance of TESDA for one school year (1991- 1998).
Another re-organization took place in 1998. The
Glan School of Arts and Trades was re-classified and
returned to DECS (now, DepEd) because of the
predominant high school enrollment.
GSAT was disfranchised to offer degree programs
and also the post-secondary education programs. Thus, in
school year 2000-2001, GSAT turned out the concluding
batches of industrial teacher education and the trade-
technical education graduates. It was directed by DepEd
to phase out the programs and has to concentrate on the
improved delivery of high school education. GSAT is
placed under the supervision of DepEd-Region XII as
stated in Section 1.6 of DECS-TESDA Joint Memorandum
Circular Number 1, s. 1998 “Guidelines or Transfer of
TESDA school to DECS effective April 1, 1998”.
GSAT’s technical pioneering school administrator was
Mr. Lorenzo Hablan Dideles (1971- 1977), followed by Mr.
Nelson Herrera Dideles (1977- 1980), who retired early
because of physical disability and was succeeded by Mr.
Juanito Daquigan Abugan (1980-1989) who retired due to
his force retirement. Mr. Antonio D. Jomillo Jr. took his
leadership in 1989 and retired in 2010. In March 16, 2010
upon retirement of the latter, Mr. Renato Empleo Tamine
was appointed as the Vocational School Administrator II
who retired last November 25, 2015. By then, the
Vocational School Administrator II was vacated and
remained vacant for almost 2 years. In order not to
hamper its institutional operation, Ms. Maria Vena
Nolasco-Niervo, a Master Teacher 1 then, took over to
manage the school from November 26, 2015 to January 5,
2016. Then, on January 6, 2016 – May 30, 2018, the
school was under the stewardship of an Office In-Charge,
Ms. Glenda Lara-Elem, Principal I. It was in June 1, 2018
that the new Vocational School Administrator II Josie
Teofila Nesle-Quijano, Ph.D was appointed and is
currently managing the school.
During the present administration of Dr. Quijano,
additional curricular offerings were initiated and approved
by the Department of Education (DepEd) and Technical
Education, Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Last
school year 2019-2020, GSAT was given an approval by
the DepEd-Region XII to offer the Special Program in the
Arts (SPA) in Junior High School to give talented students
a chance to enhance their talents in different fields such
as Dance Arts, Music Arts, Visual Arts, Media Arts, Theater
Arts, and Creative Writing. A recital is also held every end
of the school year to showcase the talents and skills of
the SPA learners.
To equip learners with the skills to land in-demand
jobs, think critically, solve problems, and drive
innovation, GSAT was approved last June 8, 2020 to offer
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM) as one of the strands in Academic Track for Senior
High School, starting School Year 2021-2022 onwards.
In School Year 2020-2021, DepEd also permitted
GSAT to offer Alternative Learning System (ALS) for
Senior High School. It is a parallel learning system in the
Philippines which aims to provide opportunities for out-of-
school youths and adults to enable them to finish their
basic education under the K to 12 Curriculum.
Moreover, the school also celebrated its 50 th
Founding Anniversary last November 2021 in the midst of
the COVID 19 pandemic. Although the week-long
celebration was conducted online, it was filled with
enjoyment and nostalgia as it connected with the alumni
all over the world. It was also on this historical occasion
that the GSAT signature song “Limang Dekada” was
composed in collaboration with the following GSAT
teachers namely: Jhay Merlson P. Tabligan, Audrey May
Tava-Barotil, Doreen Grace S. Lebios, Arnel I. Paragas and
Haydee Abiso-Contaoi. Melody by Jhay Merlson P.
Tabligan, Instrumentalists were Japheth Belgira, Jason
Dave M. Leyble, Cyrelle Jay Mantalaba and Juan Paterno
C. Bercelona and recorded by some selected GSAT
teachers and alumni: Lorraine L. Asperga, Jessie John
Villela, Justine Joy Acala-Cordero, Miraluna M. Dawa, and
Jhay Merlson P. Tabligan. Musical Arrangement by Juan
Paterno C. Bercelona and organized and produced by
Haydee Abiso-Contaoi.
After several decades (52 years), GSAT has finally
received the approval and release of the school Original
Certificate of Title last March 13, 2023 from the Land
Registration Authority, Registry of Deeds for Sarangani
Province, through the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources, Region XII.
Last May 4, 2023, after a thorough evaluation,
TESDA-Regional Office 12 issued a Certificate of
Accreditation to GSAT as an Accredited Competency
Assessment Center for Dressmaking NC II. Almost a year
after on April 23, 2024, GSAT obtained further another
Certificates of Accreditation as an Accredited
Competency Assessment Center for Hairdressing NC II,
Beauty Care (Nail Care) Services NC II, and Bookkeeping
NC III. Then, just this year (2025), GSAT also received an
approval from the Bureau of Treasury to have a TESDA
Assessment Service Bank for TESDA Assessment
transaction.
Today, inspired by its tagline “Basta GSAT, Sikat!”
GSAT is continuously soaring high excelling in the
different division, regional and national contests in the
fields of academics, cultural, sports and skills
competitions. From a mere 152 students,
way back in 1971, today, the student population is 3,131
with 1,869 Junior High School and 1,262 Senior High
School. The total number of Junior Completers for this
School Year 2024-2025 is 416, and 593 Senior High
School graduates that includes 34 graduates from the
Alternative Learning System (ALS).
GSAT has now 135 teaching staff and 37
administrative staff and support personnel.
As we love GSAT, let us all together dream to soar
high and shout resoundingly “Go, GSAT, Go!!!”
mvsnn’25
