The Schools Division of Laoag City kicked off the annual “Brigada Eskwela” on Friday, May 12, 2017 at the Ilocos Norte Regional School of Fisheries (INRSF) at La Paz, Laoag City.
Prior to the ceremony, a motorcade was held as early as 6:30 in the morning starting from the Schools Division Office (SDO) at Brgy 23, Laoag City passing through Bacarra Road, P. Gomez Street and barangays of Sta. Maria, Suyo and Talingaan.
Led by OIC Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Joel B. Lopez, the program was attended by SDO personnel, school heads, INRSF teaching and non-teaching staff, barangay officials as well as stakeholders.
City Legal officer Atty. Marlon Manuel, representing Laoag City Mayor Chevylle Fariñas, joined the activities and expressed the support of the city government to all the endeavors of DepEd in the city.
Also present was Ramon Caniezo from the DepEd Regional Office. According to him, over 389,000 volunteers took part in the “Brigada Eskwela” last year. The number is expected to increase as the activity continues to more days.
Welcoming the delegation, INRSF Principal Oscar Villanueva underlined the importance of volunteerism and camaraderie in the success of the said activity which made their school a “Brigada Eskwela” Best Implementer and Sustainability Awardee in the regional level in 2015.
With this year’s theme, “Isang DepEd, Isang Pamayanan, Isang Bayanihan Para sa Handa at Ligtas na Paaralan,” the Department of Education aims to focus on resilience and disaster preparedness of classrooms.
Public schools nationwide are scheduled to implement “Brigada Eskwela” from May 15 to 20, 2017. Classes are set to begin on June 5.
Lopez emphasized that over the past years, “Brigada Eskwela has made an impact not only in terms of physical structure but has also made an impact in the community—and that impact is strengthening the spirit of bayanihan.”
He further thanked the stakeholders for their relentless support in attaining the objectives of the program. “Thank you for coming all over for us to show to the community that DepEd is one in terms of making the school better and safe for our school children.”
Relating to the iconic image of “bayanihan” where people carry a traditional Filipino house, Lopez stressed the essence of “Brigada Eskwela that they have to exert an effort at the same time and at the same direction.”
“The school exists for the community and within the schools and within the SDO, we are all members of the community. This is our place and we make every day this place a better place to live in, not only on the things that we see but a better place to live in within,” he concluded. (Jennifer T. Pambid)
