Gov’t, private sector team up for Brigada Eskwela

Various government agencies and private organizations are teaming up this week for Brigada Eskwela, the annual national school maintenance program meant to ensure that schools are ready for the opening of classes, which is scheduled on June 5 this year.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones took part in the opening of Brigada Eskwela in Negros Island Region yesterday. Tomorrow, she will fly to Cebu for the national kick-off of the campaign.

Other Department of Education (DepEd) officials will travel to different regions to join similar activities this week.

In Metro Manila, the Philippine Business for Social Progress and Accenture led the Brigada Eskwela activities at Sto. Niño Elementary School in Marikina City.

Employees of TELUS International Philippines also took part in Brigada Eskwela activities at Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo, Manila yesterday.

Makati Mayor Abigail Binay will join Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Effie Ben Matityau tomorrow for a similar activity at Makati High School.

On the other hand, the Australian embassy led by Ambassador Amanda Gorely will turn over school materials and take part in the clean-up activity at Padre Zamora Elementary School in Pasay City on Wednesday.

DepEd National Capital Region director Ponciano Menguito will join Gorely in the activity.

During a press conference on Thursday, DepEd assistant secretary Tonisito Umali noted the increasing number of Filipinos taking part in Brigada Eskwela, which started in 2003.

“For this year, if we equal what we have done last year, that by itself is already an achievement. But I’m sure that we will surpass it,” he said.

For its part, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition said that while it welcomes the volunteerism and community mobilization in Brigada Eskwela, it reminded DepEd that school maintenance is its responsibility.

Briones earlier said that money, while never enough, is not just the reason for the conduct of the maintenance activities.

“We want to involve the entire community in the school system because education is a very important value in our society,” she said.

“Although we raise a substantial amount of money, which is voluntarily given by our partners, it’s really the spirit of community, the spirit of education as a community activity,” added the education chief.