Our own school abroad, the Philippine School Doha

By Evelyn L. Aguinaldo Investor / Cyber Real Estate Seller

Way- back in 1992, a Filipino community leader & philanthropist, Philippine Presidential Awardees, Mr. Roberto Abit came-up the idea of putting up a Filipino community school in Doha for the ever-growing Filipino children. With the then active participations of   Miss Cynthia Acuna, some parents from Hamad Medical Corporation, other individual, who came out to help including Mrs. Evelyn Fernandez, Mrs. Corazon Medalla, now the current Philippine School HR Officer, to name a few are then actively participating during fund -raising activities.

Photo credit to Ms Cora Medalla

On October 2, 1992, the Philippine School Doha was formally opened at a small villa in Bin Mahmood located near the center with 33 students with whom two original teachers namely Mrs. Evelyn L. Aguinaldo - yours truly, Mrs. Nenita Cabral, teacher assistant Mrs. Charlita Price, Sergio Rivera as utility officer and the administrative officer in-charge was then Miss Cynthia Acuna.

(L-R) Mrs. Aida Mendez * Mrs Evelyn Aguinaldo * Mr. Sergio Rivera * Mrs. Nenita Cabral * Mrs Rowena Santos

The school offered only Pre-school during the start-up operations and I was tasked to handle nursery and kindergarten but opt to do business in Real Estate Acquisition & Rental later. Mrs. Nenita Cabral continues to serve and now act the capacity of intermediate coordinator of the Philippine School Doha, was tasked to handle all other enrollees. Few months later, Miss Rowena Cansino, now Mrs. Santos & the current registrar of the Philippine School Doha, and Mrs. Aida Mendez, now the NPK coordinator of the Philippine School Doha, joined the school as teachers.

The founding parents of the Philippine School Doha were: Mr.& Mrs. Roberto Lacuna, Mr. & Mrs. Mila Morales, Mrs. Liway Navarro, Mr. & Mrs. Ferdowsian, Mr. & Mrs. Edgardo Bondoc, an active officer of the school board until now, Mr & Mrs. Fredolin Aguinaldo and few other community leaders who came up to lend their support  to the realization of a community school of their own.

Photo credit to Ms. Cora Medalla

Being a founding parent and pioneer teacher of the Philippine School Doha, I am extremely happy to see that most of my former students are now professionals in their own rights including my daughter Rea Lynne Lopez Aguinaldo R.M.T who graduated at the Philippine School Doha and now a Registered Medical Technologist who work as phlebotomist at the St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City, Taguig. The latest addition on the Philippine School roster graduates is Dra. Shiela Marie Macatuggal Reyes who passed her Physician Licensure Exam recently.

Please click pic to bigger image

To date, more than 2500 students are enrolled at the Philippine School Doha and are in the process of building a permanent school structure of their own into a parcel of land acquired from Qatar government in Abu Hamoor area.

   Let’s keep the torch burning and please do help in your own way in the realization of a permanent community school compound of Philippine School Doha.