Participation and donations from the private sector in Brigada Eskwela could help fill the gaps caused by insufficient budgets in public schools, according to Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC).
鈥淲e can鈥檛 ignore these schools that don鈥檛 get enough funding, whether from the national budget or the local budget,鈥 Peterson A. Fernandez, sustainability manager of AMC, said in Filipino during an interview on Monday.听
鈥淪o, we provide this help to them to ensure that the children receive a good learning environment when they get back to school,鈥 he added.听
Brigada Eskwela 2025 Chairman of San Vicente Elementary School (SVES), Myca L. de Leon, shared that partnering with a private company has brought more people to clean up and repair the school this year.听
鈥淭he usual volunteers are parents of the students, fraternities, and organizations within the community,鈥 she told 大象传媒. 鈥淭he average number of volunteers is around 40, but we were shocked because it鈥檚 around a hundred already on our first day.鈥澨听
Aside from additional manpower, Ms. de Leon noted that they have also received more tables, chairs, printers, and bond papers compared to last year.听
鈥淏efore, we used to wait for someone to come, for someone to donate,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ut because of Alaska, we received more donations this year.”听
The SVES had around 1,500 students for School Year 2024-2025 and expects to welcome 1,600 students as the classes open on June 16.听听听
鈥淲e would be grateful to have long-term partnerships with private companies because we would be able to deliver what the children need, especially technology-based materials,鈥 Ms. de Leon added.听
Brigada Eskwela is a five-day activity involving the collective efforts of teachers, parents, and volunteers to prepare public schools before the opening of classes.听听
The key activities for this year, which include reading and storytelling sessions, campus clean-ups and repairs, and health assessments for learners, align with the theme, 鈥淪ama-sama para sa Bayang Bumabasa鈥.
鈥Brigada Eskwela is more than just fixing the schools; it is a bayanihan movement,鈥 Education Secretary Juan Edgardo 鈥淪onny鈥 M. Angara said.听听
鈥淲e invite all education champions and partners to join us not only in refurbishing classrooms but also in building supportive environments that empower every Filipino child to read,鈥 Mr. Angara added. – Almira Louise S. Martinez
