‘Brigada Eskwela’ 2018 set
Manila Cathedral Rector Father Reginald Malicdem yesterday announced that St. John Paul II’s blood relic will be exposed again for three days for public veneration starting this Friday, May 18, in time for the revered saint’s birth anniversary.
“Let us once again come together and receive God’s grace through the intercession of our beloved St. John Paul II” he said.
The public veneration at the cathedral in Intramuros, Manila will be from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On Saturday, May 19, the public veneration will be held after the Eucharistic celebration at 8 a.m. to be presided by Fr. Joel Jason of the Archdiocesan Ministry for Family and Life.
On Sunday, May 20, the relic will be exposed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The blood relic of St. John Paul II still in liquid form, stored in a glass container.
The vial of blood of the Saint was given by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former secretary of the Pope, to the Manila Cathedral last December.
St. John Paul II celebrated mass at the Manila Cathedral in 1981.
He was also the Pope who raised the Cathedral, through a "Motu Proprio", meaning through his own initiative, to a Minor Basilica.
The national kick-off of the 2018 “Brigada Eskwela” has been moved to May 29 at a public school in General Santos City, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.
Also known as the National Schools Maintenance Week, ‘Brigada Eskwela’ is an annual cleanup effort initiated by the DepEd.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in DepEd memorandum No. 85 series of 2018, announced that some changes have been made relative to 2018 “Brigada Eskwela” guidelines contained in DM No. 66 series of 2018.
Among these changes is the re-scheduling of the National Kick-Off program which was originally scheduled on May 24.
It will be held at the New Society National High School in the Division of General Santos City with Region XII as this year’s host.
Still, Briones clarified that regional offices (ROs) “may opt to conduct their regional kick-off programs” starting May 21 – after the recently-concluded 2018 barangay and Sangguninang Kabataan elections.
Briones also noted some changes in the selection of Best Implementing Schools – particularly the approval of the Region Director on the “creation and terms of reference of the Regional Validation and Selection Committee” as per recommendation of the Regional Partnerships Focal Person as well as the evaluation of criteria for “Creativity and Innovation.”
Meanwhile, Briones also announced this year’s “Brigada Eskwela” Jingle Making contest national winners.
First place honors went to Patubig Elementary School (Region III, Division of Bulacan) for the jingle entitled, “Isang Himig, Isang Brigada”.
Second place honors went to Tagumpay National High School (Region IV-A, Division of Rizal) for “Doon sa Eskwela”; while Bambad National High School (Region XII, Division of Sultan Kudarat) finished third (“Brigada Eskwela Na”).