MANILA, Philippines --- A few days before school opening, people from the academe, government, corporate sector and even embassies are once again reviving the Bayanihan spirit to support the nationwide Brigada Eskuwela campaign.
The Department of Education initiated-program, are banking on the collective spirit of the various sectors in helping physically prepare the country’s thousands of schools in time for the opening of classes this June.
Volunteers from the Ateneo de Manila University, for instance, helped prepare 10 public elementary schools in Quezon City for the resumption of classes on June 11. A project of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED), the Ateneo fielded about 475 volunteers to help clean, beautify and prepare the General Roxas, Payatas B and its annex, Culiat, Lupang Pangako, Manuel L. Quezon, Old Balara, Balumbato, Payatas C and Fairview Elementary Schools.
The volunteers, composed of Human Resources Management Office (HRMO), Facilities Management Office (FMO), Residence Halls, Ateneo Human Rights Center, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Graduate School of Business (GSB), as well as teachers and students of the Ateneo Grade School cleaned and repainted classrooms, chalkboards, libraries, building facades, corridors and murals in these schools.
Jano Cadiz, an 11-year-old student of the AGS who helped clean some classrooms at the Payatas B Elementary School, said that he wanted to have the experience of helping to become a habit.
Mel Oracion, ACED director specifically requested volunteers to paint chalkboards this year. She said that “only teachers understand how satisfying and motivating it is to write on freshly painted chalkboards.” She added that this is because writing on chalkboards “is an important part of the memories teachers form during the school year.”
Couple for Christ, ACED’s partners in their program called Cornerstone, will also be conducting its own Brigada Eskwela activity and focusing on donating chalk and painting chalkboards.
MORE LGUs UNITE FOR BRIGADA
Meanwhile, General Trias Cavite Mayor Luis ‘Jon-Jon’ Ferrer IV, his brother Congressman Antonio Ferrer, and Cavite Councilors Morit Sison and Kerby Salazar led the Brigada Eskwela project in their locality.
The group was joined by DepEd Superintendents Dr. Edna Bayot and Dr. Cantada, teachers, non-teaching personnel, parents, students and non-government organizations in cleaning up the Governor Ferrer National High in Barangay Pinagtipunan.
Mayor Ferrer is aiming for a 100-percent compliance of the municipality for the program to benefit the thousands of school children who will be enrolled this school year.
Rizal Governor Junjun Ynares lll also led the Brigada Eskuwela kick-off activity at the Old Bosoboso Elementary School, Barangay San Jose in Antipolo City recently. It was participated in by teachers, parents, policemen, barangay tanods, and local officials.
The Australian government, on the other hand, has provided approximately Php4.7 million (A$109,000) to support Brigada Eskwela activities in 80 public schools –30 in Metro Manila and 50 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
AUSTRALIA REACHES OUT
Australia provided each school with at least Php60,000 worth of materials and supplies for minor repairs repainting and cleaning.
The Australian Embassy is likewise participating in the Brigada Eskwela activities at the Silangan Elementary School in Taguig City. Its staff will also participate in the painting and cleaning of classrooms this week in five schools in the city.
Australia and Taguig City are key partners in piloting a disaster risk management program called BRACE (Building the Resilience and Awareness of Metro Manila Communities to Natural Disasters and Climate Change Impacts). Australia, through the BRACE program, will assist urban communities “brace” for the impact of natural disasters. BRACE will demonstrate that by “building back better”, the damage bill for future disasters – both in human and economic terms – can be significantly lessened.
Australia is also helping to coordinate Brigada Eskwela activities in schools where there are large populations of indigenous learners through the Philippines’ Response to Muslim and Indigenous Peoples’ Education (PRIME) program.
“Our participation in Brigada Eskwela is part of Australia’s significant commitment to helping improve the quality of teaching and learning in the Philippines,” Ambassador Tweddell said.
Finally, one of the fastest growing developers, the Property Company of Friends Inc. (PRO-FRIENDS) has led in the kick-off of Brigada Eskuwela activities in the Pal-Agon, Amparo Elementary School in Pavia, Iloilo.
Volunteers from the company partnered with teachers, barangay officials and Mayor Arcadio Gorriceta in rehabilitating the school stage and re-painting classrooms. The volunteers also donated new reference books and materials for the school clinic. They also conducted a story-telling session to encourage the kids’ love for literature. One other integral part of their program is propagating a new vegetable garden to promote a healthy and nutritious diet to the students and volunteer parents.
source: mb.com.ph
