Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila. FBES originally occupied a 2,245 square meter lot privately owned by the late Doña Luisa O. Manapat. The old building was a wooden two-storey house with 17 rooms. Before World War II, the school was known as Gagalangin Primary School Annex, as it was under the supervision of the principal of Gagalangin Elementary School. In 1945, it became Lakandula Unit II. On August 15, 1951, the Manila Municipal Board approved a resolution authored by Councilor Hermenegildo Gonzaga, changing the name Lakandula Elementary School to Francisco Benitez. As the population grew, Mrs. Marciana Tinio, the principal successfully negotiated for three more annexes; the Manapat, Sanchez, and Villanueva annexes. On October 17, 1965 the main building and the Manapat annex caught fire. In 1966, a new two-storey building with 38 rooms and a roof garden was constructed. The Manapat annex was also rebuilt. In 1980, Mrs. Luz C. Panopio with the Parent-Teacher and Community Association attempted to take the necessary steps to persuade the City Government to buy the property, but the owner refused to sell. In January 1995, Dr. Lourdes S. Lim, a young, energetic and ambitious principal took over the school. She successfully persuaded the City Council of Manila to purchase the land for the school. Mayor Lim approved and signed City Ordinance No. 17809 on November 16, 1995 appropriating 25 million pesos for the purchase of the site. Finally on April 14, 1997 a Writ of Possession was issued by the Regional Trial Court. The demolition of the old building began on July 30, 1997. A two-storey-six-classroom building from the Countrywide Development Fund of Congressman Jaime Lopez was completed and turned over to the school in 1998; while work on the School of the Future continued. The phase one of the School of the Future (SOF) was inaugurated in 1998. The tenants of the apartments in front of the school were evicted, giving way to the construction of five makeshift rooms for the Home Economics and Industrial Art classes. Congressman Nestor Ponce donated six makeshift rooms while PTCA constructed five rooms. In March 1999, Mrs. Erlinda J. Valdez came to FBES. The second phase of the (SOF) building was completed. The Principal’s Office occupied the ground floor. The school now has a presentable air-conditioned library, conference room, media room and a journalism room. The kindergarten classes has two permanent rooms. Francisco Benitez Elementary School after sixty-six years of existence as a Public Elementary School in Gagalangin, Tondo Manila has turned into a dream school, which every pupil, teacher and parent can be proud of. FBES has three high rise permanent buildings with fifty-one regular classrooms, six special rooms, a library, a conference room, a media room, a journalism room, two Home Economics classrooms, a new office for the principal and the very recent ICT room, and stage. With the help of some very special people the dream school of the Benetizians has been realized.
