Jea Nicole Jacot 

As the Department of Education (DepEd) officially launched the nationwide school maintenance program, Brigada Eskwela 2025, on June 9, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) called for stronger government efforts in enhancing school infrastructure and operations.

Photo Courtesy of Presidential Communications Office.

While acknowledging the role of the bayanihan spirit in the school community, the teachers’ group stressed that the Brigada Eskwela program should not replace the government’s responsibility in preparing for the opening of schools on June 16.

Brigada Eskwela 2025, a nationwide maintenance program that runs from June 9 to 13, brings together students, teachers, parents, volunteers, and private partners to clean and repair public schools before classes resume.

“Brigada Eskwela highlights the bayanihan spirit of our communities, but let us not forget that school infrastructure, operations, and maintenance are a state obligation—not a burden to be shouldered by private citizens, community members, or teachers, even if voluntary,” said TDC Spokesperson Jim Lester Beleno in a Facebook statement posted on June 8.

While intended to prepare schools for the upcoming school year, the group stated that the maintenance program alone cannot address the deep-rooted issues of classroom shortages, deteriorating facilities, and a lack of maintenance personnel in public schools.

“Let us not romanticize the act of volunteerism to cover up structural deficiencies. Instead, let us build a system where public schools are adequately funded and teachers can focus on teaching, not soliciting donations or leading repair drives,” Beleno added.

They called on the Congress and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to increase budgets for school buildings, utilities, upkeep, and repairs, specifically demanding prompt fund disbursement to schools, particularly those in far-flung and neglected areas.

Marcos, Angara lead classroom inspection

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara led the Brigada Eskwela 2025 launch at the Barihan Elementary School in Malolos City, Bulacan.

Marcos personally inspected classroom repairs—including ceiling, window, and door restorations—and viewed archival images showing typhoon-related damage.

During his inspection, he identified the urgent need to improve public school restrooms and guarantee a consistent water supply.

“For me basic ‘yan eh kasi pati ‘yung health ng mga bata natatamaan eh. Kaya nagkakasakit yan ‘pag malinis yung mga pinupuntahan nilang bathroom,” he said regarding the concerns for student health and safety.

A January 2025 report from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) revealed that as of October 2024, approximately 1,500 public schools in the Philippines still lack electricity, and about 1,000 are without toilets.

These schools are part of 9,000 "last mile schools," a term DepEd uses for institutions in remote or conflict-affected areas that lack proper facilities or basic amenities.

Fifty percent of these schools are located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

EDCOM 2 also shows that public schools in most regions lack adequate sanitary facilities, with toilet-to-student ratios failing to meet recommended standards.

For the upcoming school year, DepEd estimates that 27 million students are expected to return to school next week.