CALOOCAN, METRO MANILA —Thousands of students returned to cleaner, safer and more welcoming schools as communities across the country came together in the spirit of bayanihan for Brigada Eskwela 2026.
Ahead of the opening of classes, teachers, parents, community members and volunteers worked side by side to prepare public schools for the new school year. Together, they cleaned classrooms, repainted walls and furniture, planted vegetable seedlings in school gardens, and carried out minor repairs and maintenance work to help create learning spaces where students can learn and thrive.
Among those who joined the nationwide effort were more than 600 BDO employee volunteers, who participated through the BDO Employee Volunteer Program. To support the activities, BDO also donated more than 500 gallons of paint, over 1,400 painting materials, more than 400 cleaning materials, and 80 trays of vegetable seedlings.
The volunteer activities were conducted in six partner schools:
- Gregoria De Jesus Elementary School, Caloocan City, Metro Manila
- Daanghari Elementary School, Navotas City, Metro Manila
- Navotas I Elementary School, Navotas City, Metro Manila
- Ilagan South Central School, Ilagan City, Isabela
- Dansolihon Elementary School, Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental
- Hermenegilda F. Gloria Memorial Elementary School, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
Dumaguete City
BDO bayanihan with Brigada Eskwela-BDO employee volunteers roll up their sleeves for a day as they clean, repaint and repair classrooms, and plant seedlings in partner public schools in preparation for the opening of classes.
The improvements were made possible through the combined efforts of volunteers and members of the school communities, reflecting the essence of Brigada Eskwela—a shared commitment to help schools provide better learning environments for Filipino children.
Education officials welcomed the initiative and underscored the value of community partnerships in supporting schools.
“By showing up today, pinatutunayan niyo po na buhay na buhay pa ang espiritu ng bayanihan sa Pilipinas,” said Dr. Rita E. Riddle, CESO V, assistant regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. (“By showing up today, you have proven that the spirit of bayanihan in the Philippines is truly alive.”)
Dr. Cecille G. Carandang, CESO V, schools division superintendent of the DepEd Schools Division Office of Caloocan, highlighted the deeper meaning behind the volunteers’ contributions.
“Hindi lamang kayo nagdala ng mga pintura, basahan o walis. Ang tunay niyo pong dinala ay pag-asa,” she said. (“You just didn’t bring gallons of paint, rags or brooms. What you really brought was hope.”)
Representing the Office of the President of BDO Unibank, Chief of Staff Jerome C. Guevarra, thanked the volunteers and school communities for working together to support the education and well-being of Filipino learners.
“It is my distinct privilege to present to you the employee volunteers of BDO and thank you for giving us a chance to participate in your advocacy of supporting and ensuring the education and well-being of our youth,” he said.
For BDO Foundation President Mario A. Deriquito, even simple acts of service can make a meaningful difference in a child’s education journey.
“We are here to express and show our solidarity with all the people who work very hard every day to ensure that our children will have a bright future,” he said.
Addressing the BDO volunteers, he said, “We will clean the assigned classrooms. We will repaint them. We will repaint some of the furniture. We may also do some minor repairs. These may seem small, but all of these things taken together is an investment in every child’s education journey.”
For more than a decade, BDO has supported schools through Brigada Eskwela and other education initiatives. Through employee volunteerism and partnerships with local communities, the organization continues to help create learning environments where students can thrive and pursue their dreams.
