Living Hope from the Ashes: Recollections and Reactions about the Old Elementary Building’s Demolition
By Micarl Abrantes
It is a regular yet gloomy Monday morning at Hope Christian High School. The sky hangs low and the clouds rumble with thunder. The wind carries the scent of wet dust, and the air is heavy, suggesting rains waiting to be poured. The students, either sympathizing with the somber weather or just appreciating the melodious voice of their schoolmate singing through the intercom, hum too solemnly over the tune of the national anthem. Their mumbles and whispers barely reach the walls of the classrooms as they stand straight with their right hand placed on their chest. The students are used to this stance; they are accustomed to this routine. September 15, 2025 is, indeed, a typical Monday for Hopeans except that it is not.
Amidst the flag-raising ceremony kicking off a new school week, a new period in HCHS history commences. With every beat of Lupang Hinirang, the smashing of shattered windows and the clinking of metallic tools can be heard faintly from the building across. Its wooden floors creak as it collapses; its columns are crushed to dust. The old Elementary Building, that once posted the IB Learning Profile proudly, is being dismantled to give way to a new one.
Dust now billows the air, but with it lingers the memories of the people who once walked through it.
Flashbacks and Foresights
For Mrs. Elena Manalo, an HR Officer, seeing the old building being demolished feels bittersweet. “That building gave me so many memories, feelings of gratitude and mixed emotions,” she said. It reminds her of her bond and working relationship with colleagues, and the spirit of unity they have established. Ma’am Elena also recollects a fond memory with the students. She was assigned to guard the second floor of the building, and seldom she manually rang the bell for recess. One time, Ma’am Elena accidentally rang the bell, which prompted the students to take their recess earlier than scheduled.
Despite the hit of nostalgia, Ma’am Elena believes this development is great. She believes that with this advancement, HCHS can produce better students. “I’m really excited to see bigger changes from traditional to modern technologies. We can have more modern facilities to offer that other schools might not have,” she remarked.
Mr. Rowell Yu, an alumnus and Finance Officer, shares the same reactions. He feels both sad and happy about the demolition. “I am sad because we have many childhood memories from that building but happy because moving forward, we will be more equipped, especially that we are an IB school already,” Sir Rowell explained. As a Finance Officer, he also believes innovations such as building advanced facilities will boost student enrollment. Looking back as a student, Sir Rowell remembered enjoying his time in the old building because he had many schoolmates. “In my batch in 1999, we had many students. After recess, we all got to run and play,” he recounted.
While remembering the service of the old building as the headquarters of the Boy Scouts, Leandro Gabucan, a Grade 9 student and a scout, sees the demolition as extremely exciting. Leandro thinks that it is a beautiful thing that the next generations get to experience new things. “Like I said, the new generation will experience a lot of things. I don’t think I will be able to still use it, so I am very excited for them,” he noted. This demolition is truly not just for building a new structure but all the more for building a legacy for the future generations.
After its service, the old building remained a recognizable facade for the HCHS Community. It has served a different purpose until its demolition.
Although Teacher Joanna did not really settle in the old building, she mentioned that it served as a good shade from the sun as they passed by going to the Alumni Building. She also said that the old building will be missed as they were used to seeing it every time. In spite of this, Teacher Joanna is positive about this development. She is also excited about the facilities inside the new building, especially the student center where students can bond and socialize. “The students deserve those kinds of facilities,” she stated.
For the newer batches of students who did not get to experience the old building in its glory, what it left is an impression and mystery. Some students only know about its condition for the longest time—dilapidated and hazardous. “I visited the old building for Hand Mime (practice) and I saw it’s made out of wood and it’s unstable, so it’s really scary,” Forcxia Decena, a Grade 8 student, said. Some students expressed the challenges that come with demolishing the old building. Joaquin Rillera, a Grade 6 student, said that going to their single-subject classes like Music is much harder because of its relocation. Nonetheless, all of these students, together with the faculty and staff, remain excited for the new building. “I am excited (about) the proposed building layout that they (made) for that new building,” Michael Ongbin, a Grade 10 student, said. They particularly look forward to the facilities such as the swimming pool, theater hall, student center, sports and recreational areas, 3D printing room, and gymnasium. “It’s exciting and it’s new ‘cause we’re so used to this building (JHS Building). It’s kinda refreshing to see a new building being built,” Sophia Martinez, a Student Council Officer, said.
A New Home for IB Learners
“My memory of the old building are the posters of the IB Learning Profile.” – Joaquin Rillera
As Hope Christian High School moves forward as a full-fledged IB School, its learning profile will not just be bared like billboards anymore. The IB Learning Profile shall be embodied by the new building through its beams, walls, doors, roofs, and windows— a metonymy of the learners nurtured under its care. As the new foundations lie deep beneath the ground, knowledge and understanding shall be its core. Its beams shall symbolize the pillars of principle that uphold the integrity and conviction of the Christian faith. The walls will echo the minds of thinkers and voices of communicators with ideas born out of imagination and collaboration. Doors of inquiries and discoveries shall be unlocked with keys of open-mindedness and courage that Hopeans possess. The building’s roofs are balanced, serving as a protection for the community it takes refuge in. Its unbreakable windows mirror the past and future as it stays true to the school’s vision to be a reflective learning community. HCHS will continually value and learn from the past while being proactive and optimistic about the future.
In the next few years, the IB Learning Profile will not just be posters once seen in the building— it will be felt, realized, and lived. However, as we wait for now, the ruins ask for patience and understanding. It calls for a sacrifice of enduring the noise, bearing the deafening sound of destruction because from its wreckage, a new edifice will stand. From the dead rubble and ashen debris, a new living hope will rise.