Cebu Brigada Eskwela draws more participants

This year’s Brigada Eskwela in Cebu schools drew a great number of participants who are beneficiaries of the government’s conditional cash transfer program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program.

“More than 50 percent increase in participation rate this year,” said Josephine Rabaya, principal of Cansojong Elementary School in Talisay City, Cebu.

Socorro Banal, focal person of Basak Community School in barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City presented the beneficiaries’ plan for a vegetable garden to beautify the school to help the Brigada Eskwela last week.

“We couldn’t have done this without their support,” said the principals and teachers from the Central Visayas as they witnessed the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries joining the Brigada Eskwela from the parade to the cleaning of school grounds, clearing, repainting and repairing of classrooms, chairs, cabinets and books.

This practice is done every year by the Department of Education.

“The program did not only encourage mothers to comply with its conditions, but they also they understood the importance of taking part in ensuring a better venue of education for their children,” said Banal.

“Kada tuig man ni namu gibuhat pero lahi gyud karong tuiga kay ni doble gyud ang mga tao, maski mga bana nanabang. Hasta gud ang dili benepisyaryo makakita sa kadasig sa pamilya ma-aghat nalang pud ug lahutay ug limpyo wala nay nag-ikyas ikayas (We are doing this every year, but this year is different because the number of participants doubled and even their husbands helped. Parents who are not Pantawid beneficiaries were also encouraged to work more after seeing the eagerness of the beneficiaries working through the end of the day),” said Elesia Sariento, a 41-year-old mother of six from barangay Linao, Talisay City.

“Dili rani sa sugod sa klase. Sugod ra ni sa among pagpakita sa among mga anak nga gitaga-an namu ug importansya ang ilang pag-eskwela ug importante diay ang pagpakabana sa tibu-ok pamilya sa iyang komunidad (This (activity) not only happens during the start of classes. This is just the start of giving our children the message that we give importance to their education and show them the importance of participating in community activities as one family),” said Brenda Cabusas from barangay Lawaan, Talisay City and a mother of three children ages 7, 5 and 1.