The soldiers’ efforts to repair and clean public elementary and secondary schools nationwide as part of the “Brigada Eskuwela” program have not only benefitted the Filipino youth, but also the Department of Education (DepEd), which managed to save P9 billion from its budget.

Maj. Ronald Jess Alcudia, Army spokesman, said that “Brigada Eskuwela’’ is a five-day activity that started May 24 until May 28. It was an initiative by the DepEd, in close coordination with the Philippine Army, local government units, Philippine National Police (PNP), religious sectors, barangay officials, teachers and parents to prepare schools for the start of classes.

Brigada Eskuwela mobilized the Army personnel to conduct repairs, maintenance work, renovation, repainting, and cleaning of different public secondary and elementary schools in various parts of the country.

Alcudia said some of the areas that benefitted from the program are the Valeriano E. Fugoso Memorial School in Boystown Compound in Parang Marikina and the Signal Village National High School in Taguig City. This effort was also complemented by various Army units nationwide particularly in the 10th Infantry Division in Compostela Valley, he added.

Also, in Negros Occidental, members of the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Alberto Desoyo successfully facilitated the five-day renovation, repainting and cleaning of almost 25 public schools in the cities of Cadiz, Sagay, and San Carlos and in the municipalities of Toboso and Calatrava.

In Tarlac, a two-day Brigada Eskuwela was also conducted by the Army’s Light Armor Division (LAD) with Maj. Judiel Socal, deputy for Civil-Military Operations, LAD as the officer-in-charge. Sgt. Richard Versoza of the Engineer Combat Company of LAD led the repair of broken chairs, blackboards, and other school equipment.