Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the national launching of Brigada Eskwela 2026 in Agusan del Norte.
The event also provided temporary jobs for members of the local community.
The nationwide kick-off event held at the Cabadbaran City National High School became the center of the simultaneous activity in different regions to prepare classrooms for School Year 2026–2027.
“Ang Brigada Eskwela ay patunay ng lakas ng ating bayanihan para sa kinabukasan ng mga Kabataan,” Angara said.
“Pinag-isa natin ang TUPAD at Brigada upang hindi lang ihanda ang mga paaralan, kundi maghatid din ng kabuhayan sa mga pamilyang nangangailangan.”
“Sa paggabay at suporta ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, pinag-isa natin ang TUPAD at Brigada upang hindi lang ihanda ang mga paaralan, kundi maghatid din ng kabuhayan sa mga pamilyang nangangailangan,” the education chief added.
With the theme “Bayanihan sa Paaralan: Nagkaisa para sa Kaayusan at Kaalaman,” the annual program aims to encourage volunteers from the community to clean, repair, paint and restore classrooms and school grounds.
Angara joined volunteers in the activity to prepare schools by helping paint blackboards and tables in a Home Economics classroom.
One important feature of this year’s Brigada Eskwela is the collaboration of DepEd with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) by coming up with the program Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD).
DOLE set aside P2 billion to fund the cash-for-work initiative.
Under this collaboration, DOLE set aside P2 billion to fund the cash-for-work initiative.
Priority is also given to public schools which are geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAS), communities that lack services and localities affected by calamities.
DepEd and DOLE aim to give temporary jobs to 240,000 workers.
Qualified parents and relatives of students will be given priority in giving temporary jobs while schools are being prepared for the school opening on June 8.
Apart from DOLE, other government agencies and private sector partners also vowed to give donations, technical help, voluntary work and intervention in communities to support Brigada Eskwela 2026.
