DepEd cites 96 public schools for community mobilization efforts

Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro. ARNOLD ALMACEN

A total of 96 public schools have been cited by the Department of Education (DepEd) for their “community mobilization efforts” during the 2015 Brigada Eskwela, an annual preschool opening cleanup and maintenance activity.

Of the 96 schools awarded during the said event, DepEd said 21 schools have been included in the Brigada Eskwela Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame awardees are composed of schools which have been named Best Implementers for three consecutive years.

“You are all shining examples of how we can change the country’s educational system. You’ve shown the entire nation that change is possible. We don’t always need money [to enact change]; we just need a big heart,” Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro said.

DepEd said the 2015 Brigada Eskwela Awards generated approximately P4-billion worth of resources and attracted 8.7 million volunteers, who contributed their time and effort during the National Schools Maintenance Week last May.

“The Philippines is the only country in the world that celebrates and prepares for the upcoming school year by bringing the entire nation together. We would not be able to do this without the heroes and heroines in our locality,” Luistro said.

He said most of the awardees were from schools not with the most resources but from those which have demonstrated kindness, generosity, and leadership.

“When you look at the roster of schools that were recognized in this year’s Brigada Eskwela Awards, you will see that we have honored not the ones with the most resources or the ones located in cities, but those schools which have demonstrated kindness, generosity, and leadership,” he said.
“We hope that you will share this recognition with the schools in your community, not for vanity or pride, but to send the message that we are committed to taking care of our schoolchildren and ensuring that they receive quality education,” he added.

The schools inducted to the Brigada Eskwela Awards Hall of Fame were: San Antonio Elementary School, Quezon City (National Capital Region); Uddiawan National High School, Nueva Vizcaya (Cagayan Valley Region); Prenza National High School, Bulacan (Central Luzon); Porfirio G. Comia Memorial Elementary School, Oriental Mindoro (Mimaropa); Baco National High School-Mangangan 1 Annex, Oriental Mindoro (Mimaropa); Batobalani Elementary School, Camarines Norte (Bicol Region); Kalamtukan Elementary School, Bayawan City (Central Visayas); Casiano Z. Napigkit Memorial National High School, Negros Oriental (Central Visayas);

Gonosan Elementary School, Zamboanga del Sur (Zamboanga Peninsula); Putik Central Elementary School, Zamboanga City (Zamboanga Peninsula); Catalina Vda. De Jalon Memorial Elementary School, Zamboanga (Zamboanga Peninsula); Polanco National High School, Zamboanga del Norte (Zamboanga Peninsula); Diplahan National High School, Zamboanga Sibugay (Zamboanga Peninsula); Nuevo Iloco Elementary School, Compostela Valley (Davao Region); Cotabato City Central Pilot School, Cotabato City (Soccsksargen); A.S. Bernardo Memorial High School, Tacurong City (Soccsksargen); Kidapawan City National High School, Kidapawan City (Soccsksargen); Cotabato City National High School–Main, Cotabato City (Soccsksargen); Lawigan Elementary School, Bislig (Caraga Region); Taganito Elementary School, Surigao del Norte (Caraga Region); and Barobo National High School, Surigao del Sur (Caraga Region). NC/TVJ