Soldiers from the United States Army joined members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) from June 9 to 13 to support the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Brigada Eskwela program in five schools in the municipality of Rizal, Palawan.
The service members, who were in the province for joint military exercises, worked alongside community volunteers to clean, paint, decorate, and repair classrooms in preparation for the upcoming academic year. The schools included Malapandeg Elementary School, Guilingan Elementary School, Tarumpitao Point Elementary School, Rizal Central School, and Jose P. Rizal National High School.
“Our military service members are honored to join their AFP and PCG counterparts in Brigada Eskwela, demonstrating our shared commitment to supporting and empowering local communities,” said Lieutenant Colonel Adam Chu, Acting Chief of the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group Philippines.
Brigada Eskwela is DepEd’s nationwide initiative that mobilizes volunteers across the country to help ensure that public school facilities are clean, safe, and welcoming before the start of classes.
DepEd Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary for Operations Malcolm S. Garma welcomed the involvement of service members, saying that “these students are the future of our nation. When we help them, we help build lasting peace and prosperity.”
The participation of U.S. and Philippine troops in the education-focused initiative highlights ongoing civic and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries, which also includes joint training, disaster response, and community outreach efforts.
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