In preparation for the class opening of the school year 2024-2025,  the Pasig City government hosted the Department of Education's (DepEd) Kick-Off Ceremony for regional Brigada Eskwela for the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday, July 19.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto attended the event at Rizal High School in Barangay Caniogan, Pasig, where he thanked the city's stakeholders for giving full support to the city.

He also promised that the local government will always support the DepEd, whether it is Brigada or not, in any way they can, saying, “Basta kung anong kaya nating itulong hindi tayo nagdadalawang-isip dahil nakikita rin natin kung papaano kayo magtrabaho para sa ating mga mag-aaral (As long as we can help, we won't hesitate because we also see how hard you work for our students).”

Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo said that the Brigada Eskwela aims to show that the city is united and that they can do so much for the city through their cooperation.

Romulo also mentioned that this school year there are new education reforms to be implemented, and he hoped that they could help all the teachers and ensure the quality of education.

“By next week or in two weeks' time, hopefully, more or less four new education reform laws will be passed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski believed that this Brigada Eskwela could be a way to create a strong republic through the youth.

“Dito po kasi sa Pasig, kami po ay naniniwala na number one priority pa rin po ang education. Wala pong pupuntahan ang ating bayan kung hindi po natin bibigyan ng priority ang ating mga kabataan (Here in Pasig, we believe that education is still the number one priority. Our country will go nowhere if we do not prioritize our youth),” the vice mayor said.

“Kung talagang nais natin gumawa ng matatag na republika, patibayin natin ang ating kabataan, patibayin natin ang mga komunidad pero lahat tayo kumilos, gumalaw, at mag-ambag at indeed kapag ayan po ay nagawa natin, maliwanag ang kinabukasan ng bawat isang Pilipino (If we truly want to build a strong republic, let's strengthen our youth, let's strengthen our communities, but let's all take action, move, and contribute. And indeed, if we do that, every Filipino will have a bright future),” he added.

After the program, the Brigada Eskwela proper started, where stakeholders partook in preparing Rizal High School through cleaning up, minor repairs, and maintenance of facilities in time for the resumption of classes.

Present at the event were the city officials, DepEd-NCR Director Joyce Andaya, the superintendents and assistants of the 16 Schools Division, and Partners of Schools Division Offices.

Brigada Eskwela is the annual nationwide school maintenance program led by the DepEd, which engages education stakeholders such as local communities, parents, alumni, civic groups, the private sector, non-government organizations, other private individuals, teachers, and even students to contribute their time, effort, and resources to ensure that public schools are all set in time for the class opening.