By Mariela Angella Oladive
The Department of Education Schools Division of Iloilo officially launched Brigada Eskwela 2025 on Monday, June 9, at Tubigan Elementary School in Barangay Talauguis, Zarraga.
The event marks the start of the nationwide school maintenance campaign ahead of the June 16 opening of classes for School Year 2025–2026.
Division spokesperson Leonil Salvilla said that while Brigada Eskwela is mandatory for public schools, participation from teachers, parents, students, and stakeholders remains voluntary.
“This is a week-long preparation for the opening of classes,” Salvilla said in an interview with GMA Super Radyo Iloilo.
“We are holding our division-wide launching today, gathering both internal and external stakeholders from the Schools Division of Iloilo.”
He added that this year’s Brigada Eskwela focuses not only on preparing safe and clean classrooms but also on strengthening literacy programs nationwide.
This year’s theme, Sama-sama para sa Bayang Bumabasa (Together for a Nation that Reads), highlights the urgent need to improve literacy, following recent assessments on Filipino students’ reading comprehension.
The 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) by the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that Iloilo province had an 88.6% basic literacy rate and a 68.4% functional literacy rate among individuals aged 10 to 64.
Despite having high-performing schools and strong government support, Iloilo posted the lowest literacy rates in Western Visayas.
Basic literacy refers to the ability to read, write, and understand simple messages, while functional literacy includes more complex skills needed for everyday tasks.
This year’s Brigada Eskwela also prioritizes health and sanitation in schools.
Preventive efforts are underway against mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, and health authorities are also monitoring for Mpox (monkeypox).
Dr. Rodney Labis of the Provincial Health Office led a dengue awareness campaign at the launch, emphasizing the 4S strategy and warning that children aged 1 to 9 are most vulnerable, especially in flood-prone areas like Tubigan.
As of May 31, Iloilo recorded nearly 2,000 dengue cases and nine deaths, along with one confirmed Mpox case that has since recovered.
DepEd also reminded all schools to strictly implement the No Solicitation Policy.
Only voluntary donations are allowed, with no solicitations permitted from parents or the community.
