President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday joined Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte with teachers and volunteers in prepping up Victorino Mapa High School in Barangay San Miguel, City of Manila under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Brigada Eskwela 2023.
“Nakita na naman natin kung gaano kahalaga, lalong-lalo na dito para sa Pilipinas na lahat pati ‘yung mga magulang, ‘yung mga teacher, kung sino man mga volunteer pag-dating sa ating mga anak, sa mga bata ay talagang buo ang loob natin na tumulong para gumanda naman ang kanilang experience dito sa pag-eskwela,” President Marcos said in a brief message during the event.
“At ito siguro ay panibago na rin dahil nag-lockdown tayo, nakabalik tayo ng kaunti pero ito na siguro ang pinakaunang – ito na ‘yung pinakaunang pasukan na medyo normal after the lockdown. Normal pero marami tayong pinalitan, marami tayong inayos na mga naging reklamo at iyon ang pinagtitiyagaan at pinaghihirapan ng ating DepEd Secretary at saka si Vice President Sara Duterte.”
President Marcos inspected several classrooms and joined Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, together with the teachers and volunteers in doing some classroom cleaning and painting.
The President was also briefed by officials on the maintenance works being done in preparation for the opening of classes on August 29.
Marcos also made a PhP1 million donation to the school in addition to paint and cleaning materials that he has extended for its Brigada Eskwela program.
Launched in 2003, Brigada Eskwela is an annual nationwide school maintenance program that engages education stakeholders to contribute their time, effort, and resources to prep up schools for the opening of classes.
On August 7, the DepEd conducted the national kick-off of the 2023 Brigada Eskwela at the Tarlac National High School, which will run from August 14 to 19.
This year’s Brigada Eskwela carries the theme, “Bayanihan para sa Matatag na Paaralan,” and will run for six days up to August 19.
During the six-day event, parents, teachers, school personnel, alumni, civic groups, non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units (LGUs), private individuals and even students volunteer their time, skills and resources to do the cleaning, carpentry, painting, minor repair and maintenance of classrooms, electrical works, masonry works and pruning within the school premises.
The program has been the prime mover of volunteerism or bayanihan in the DepEd, which intensifies partnerships among education stakeholders from various sectors to actively support public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.
The education department reported that it received about PhP44 million in donations from partners for the implementation of the Brigada Eskwela in public schools nationwide.
The DepEd welcomed 28.4 million learners for School Year 2022-2023 after the resumption of full in-person classes and extracurricular activities as part of the administration’s commitment towards learning recovery. PND
