PROFILE
Amidst the forest of Mt. Makiling, the former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, yearned for a people born to greatness and envisioned a society sensitive, creative and worthy of the heritage of the Filipino people.
Thus, under his governance/term , the National Arts Center (NAC) atop Mt. Makiling was conceptualized as a tribute to the Filipino artists as the progenitor of civilization.On the 7 th day of April in 1976, the National Arts Center was formally dedicated to the pursuit of the good, the true, and the beautiful. Since then, the NAC played a pivotal role in the cultural upliftment of the nation.
On June 11, 1977, the NAC became the official home of the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA).
PHSA continues to evolve as a training venue for artistically inclined students. In the same manner, it pursues to explore learning approaches, focusing on the arts. Started as an experimental school, PHSA implements a general secondary program which is integrated with a special curriculum in the arts. It aims to develop cultural leaders in the preservation of the environment and dynamic evolution of the Philippine Arts and Culture (P.D. 1287, 1978).
In President Corazon Aquino’s presidency, the PHSA as a special arts school was converted into a regular government institution on September 7, 1990, under Executive Order 420. Its mandate is to search for and develop highly talented children who are exceptionally gifted in the arts. PHSA is presently attached to the Department of Education (DepEd). It consults with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) for policy and program implementation pertaining to the arts.
The institution offers five courses of specialization in the arts: Theater Arts, Creative Writing, Visual Arts, Dance, and Music. While students are specializing in specific arts field, PHSA also provides general education curriculum as prescribed by DepEd.
Students who passed in the screenings enjoy the privileges of a scholarship including free board and lodging. PHSA accepts a limited number of students. It has to maintain its small population (130-145 students) to ensure personalized teaching.
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