More government and private corporations join the 2012 Brigada Eskwela, the annual national schools maintenance week spearheaded by the Department of Education which kicks off on Monday, May 21, in Justo Lukban Elementary School in Manila.

Brigada Eskwela enjoins the whole community to do repairs, maintenance and clean up of public schools prior to the opening of classes. This year’s Brigada is slated from May 21 to 26.

Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro said Brigada Eskwela aims to make the school ready for the students and teachers when classes open in June. “Equally important, it hopes to revive the “bayanihan” spirit among Filipinos by engaging the participation of education stakeholders in the community. “The benefits of education redounds to many sectors of society, this is why we encourage everyone to pitch in,” explained Luistro.

Brigada does not accept cash donation. What it solicits are cleaning / repair materials, other non-cash assistance and community volunteers who paint the classroom, repair chairs and tables, leaking roofs and faucets, cement walkways, spruce up the garden and surroundings.

Among the government and private organizations which signified their participation to the Brigada are the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Amspec, US Aid for International Development (USAID), Chamber of Mines, ABS-CBN E-Media, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Globe Telecom, Kabisig ng Kalahi, Petron Corp., Philam Life, Philippine Business for Social Progress and the Philippine National Bank, among others.

This year’s Brigada Eskwela focuses on school sanitation and on improving the schools of indigenous communities. “School hygiene should not be overlooked as well as the schools catering to IPs,” Luistro explained.

Based on DepEd Memo No. 56 series of 2012, the DepEd-wide activity will start with a motorcade from the Central Office in Pasig at 6:00 in the morning en route to the Justo Lukban Elementary School where the clean-up drive will officially kick-off with Sec. Luistro

Simultaneous Brigada activities will be observed nationwide during the week. Other DepEd officials will also join the caravan in other areas nationwide. Undersecretary Albert Muyot will be in Alfonso Lista Elementary School in Ifugao while Usec. Yolanda Quijano will visit Ligao Central School in Ligao City, Albay.

Usec. Francisco Varela will be in Balagtas Central School in Bulacan and Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Laguda will join the activities in Magsaysay Elementary School in Samar.

Further, Asec. Armando Ruiz will be part of the maintenance efforts in Kalibo Integrated School in Aklan while Asec. Elena Ruiz will visit a school in the City of Naga.

To date, it has generated an equivalent amount of over P2.02 billion from donations in kind and man-hours spent in school repairs which would have otherwise been taken from the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of public schools.

Brigada enjoys full participation of all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.

top photo courtesy of deped-davaocity.ph