March 11, 2003 DO 12, s. 2003 – Reiterating the Policy on the Renaming of Schools Amended by DO 29, s. 2011 – Revised Guidelines on the Naming and Renaming of Schools

DO 12, s. 2003 – Reiterating the Policy on the Renaming of Schools Amended by DO 29, s. 2011 – Revised Guidelines on the Naming and Renaming of Schools

March 11, 2003

DO 12, s. 2003

Reiterating the Policy on the Renaming of Schools

To: ARMM Regional Secretary
Regional Directors
Bureau Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
All Others Concerned

The Central Office has been receiving requests for renaming of schools with lacking or incomplete documents to support the proposed change of name.
This Office reiterates its policy on the renaming of schools in the following issuances:
- DECS Order No. 5, s. 1989 (Sec. 3e Renaming of Schools) states that a public high school may be renamed through a resolution adopted by the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlalawigan endorsing the change and the adoption of a new name for the school. The Order also mandates that the proposed name is not the name of a living person, nor is it similar to the name of another school within the same political subdivision and is not contrary to law, morals or public policy.
- DECS Order No. 108, s. 1991 discourages the indiscriminate renaming of public schools and colleges after individuals who tend to create confusion and make these schools lose their identity specially with their alumni who hold particular attachment to the school’s original name.
- DECS Memorandum No. 386, s. 1999 quotes the provision of R.A. 7160 otherwise known as the “1991 Local Government Code” which supersedes DECS Order No. 5, s. 1989; thus, under the Code, the Local School Board can recommend to the Local Sanggunian the change of name of the school and that the Local Sanggunian enacts an ordinance on the change. Therefore, approval of the Secretary is no longer necessary on the matter.
To ensure an effective and relevant decision on the requests for change of name of schools, it is reiterated that a copy of the recommendation of the local school board should accompany the ordinance of the local sanggunian to be forwarded to the National Historical Institute (through the Office of the Secretary, DepEd Central Office).
Strict compliance of all concerned is directed.

References:
DECS Orders: (Nos. 5, s. 1989 and 108, s. 1991) DECS Memorandum: No. 386, s. 1999
Allotment: 1- -(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CHANGE
POLICY
RULES & REGULATIONS
SCHOOLS

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