The Department of Education (DepEd) proved anew that making quality basic education accessible for all Filipinos is the responsibility and success of the entire community.

During the 2016 National Brigada Eskwela Awards held at Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium, Dumaguete City, Director for External Partnerships Services (EPS) Margarita Consolacion Ballesteros revealed that the Department has generated resources amounting to P4,763,949,535.83 compared to the previous P3,622,540,636.64. This is a 31.5% increase from last year’s amalgamated sum from infrastructures and other donations, and from volunteer man hours.

Moreover, there has been an increase in the number of helping hands as statistics showed that there were 11,625,476 volunteers who contributed to the successful implementation of Brigada Eskwela held from May 30 to June 4, 2016. This is an upward pull of 31.8% compared to the year 2015’s 8,817,880.

“Education is everybody’s business,” emphasized DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones in her speech at the awarding ceremony. “We are all responsible for the kind of education we share with our learners, the kind of citizens we mold. This is not only the responsibility of the Department of Education. It is all our responsibility.”

During the national kick-off ceremony at Sta. Cruz Pingkian High School in Nueva Vizcaya last year, Brigada Eskwela volunteers and coordinators gave their utmost effort and support in providing a safe, disaster-ready, and conducive learning environment to all its learners.

With the theme “Tayo Para Sa Paaralang Ligtas, Maayos at Handa Mula Kindergarten Hanggang Senior High School,” stakeholders from various sectors partnered with DepEd to offer their unwavering participation for the success of the event.

For the first time, DepEd-Negros Island Region (NIR) became the convening venue for this year’s National Brigada Eskwela Awards. Held on the 29^th of November, the awarding was held at Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium at Silliman University. Regional directors, regional Brigada Eskwela coordinators, school heads, PTA officials, and LGU stakeholders were among the attendees. Along with Briones and Ballesteros were DepEd officials Undersecretary Jesus Lorenzo Mateo, Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali, and Assistant Secretary G.H. Ambat.

ASec. Umali also spearheaded the launch of the 2017 Brigada Eskwela Jingle Contest, which will be a first in the opening of classes next school year.