Brigada Eskwela kicks off in Cebu

A caravan from Naga City in southern Cebu to Danao City in northern Cebu marked the launching of Brigada Eskwela in Cebu yesterday in preparation for the opening of classes.

The caravan made a stop at 11 a.m. at the Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School (MCCNHS), where acting Mandaue Mayor Glenn Bercede welcomed the participants, including Dr. Elenita Ruiz, secretary for resources, mobile and projects of the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) and DepEd-7 OIC director Dr. Carmelita Dulangon.

In his speech, the vice mayor encouraged everyone to be involved in preparing schools for the opening of classes.

Ruiz, for her part, reminded the teachers, parents and students of MCCNHS that the brigada eskwela will put together all sectors to make classrooms conducive to learning.

“We want to make the school appealing to the students so they would study more and harder,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz thanked the parents who showed up on the first day of Brigada Eskwela, as “it only shows that we still have responsible parents looking for the future of their children.”

This year’s Brigada is slated from May 21 to 26.

Vicmando Suliva, MCCNHS parents-teachers community association president, said their organization had conducted a raffle draw, instead of collecting money from the students and their parents, to raise funds for Brigada Eskwela.

The money raised from the project was used to buy hollow blocks, woods, paints and other materials needed in repairing the dilapidated classrooms.

“We see to it, that parents would no longer get money from their pocket. Sa kalisud sa panahon karon, insakto na ang ilang paggasto para sa mga uniform and school materials sa ilang mga anak,”  Suliva said.

Brigada Eskwela enjoins the whole community to do repairs, maintenance and clean up of public schools prior to the opening of classes on June 4.  /Correspondent Fe Marie D. Dumaboc