SUPPORT 'BRIGADA ESKWELA' -- ROXAS

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today urged families and corporations to support the Department of Education's week-long "Brigada Eskwela" Maintenance Week as he mobilized his own friends and family to help repair schools and school equipment nationwide.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate education committee, said he would do his own Brigada Eskwela stint in Manuel Roxas High School in Scout Chuatoco Street in Barangay Paligsahan, Quezon City on Tuesday. He originally planned to do it on Monday, but he had to reset to do another official business.

"Sa araw na ito, magsama-sama tayong ayusin ang paaralan sa ating barangay. Pag sama-sama, kaya nating ayusin ang lahat ng problema," he said.

'Brigada Eskwela' is an annual nationwide endeavor organized by the Department of Education in preparation for the opening of classes in June. Members of the school community come together to do minor repairs and other maintenance work on their schools, including the repainting of classroom walls and roofs, repair of leaking water pipes, boards, broken furniture, cleaning of toilets, and gardening, among others. This year's program will be conducted on May 18-23 in all public elementary and high schools nationwide.

Materials used during the weeklong effort will come from donation from local businesses and other companies as part of their corporate social responsibility programs. With no cash involved, 'Brigada Eskwela' has generated over P2.5 billion worth of donations in-kind and man-hours since it started in 2003.

Roxas stressed the value of having a stake in the public education system under the spirit of "bayanihan" as expressed his faith in improving Philippine education with the goodwill of many Filipinos.

Roxas' network of friends and supporters, called Friends of Mar, will be conducting their Brigada Eskwela effort in Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Naga, Camarines Sur, Manila, Cavite, Baguio, South Cotobato, Sorsogon, Tarlac, Lingayen among others. To volunteer in Brigada Eskwela as a Friend of Mar, email [email protected] or text 0916-6272010.