PBSP to repair 234 schools

THROUGH BRIGADA ESKWELA
PBSP to repair 234 schools
The Freeman, Community section
May 9, 2010


The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) will help gather donations for the repair and cleanup of public schools through the Department of Education's annual Brigada Eskwela. This year, Brigada Eskwela will be held from May 24 to 28.

PBSP has identified 234 schools from the most-needy areas in the country that will benefit from the Brigada Eskwela assistance. It encourages companies and other donors to support this initiative through PBSP.

Brigada Eskwela is part of the bigger education program of PBSP. The largest corporate-led foundation in the country, PBSP aims to help reduce poverty by improving the quality of education in public schools, bringing children to school, and keeping them from dropping out.

Top improve the quality of education and equip schools with Information Technology (IT) capabilities, PBSo members and donors spent P101 million last year.

Of this amount, P1.5 million worth of donations were mobilized for Brigada Eskwela. The donations included paints and repair materials, books, school supplies, food provisions and first aid kits. PBSP pulls these donations together and ensures that they reached the intended beneficiaries.

This year, PBSP has received early donations of educational magazines from Diwa Learning Systems, storytelling books from The Bookmark, Inc., and assorted books from Goodwill Bookstore and Adarna House.

Other donations are notebooks from Sterling Paper Products, pencils and paper from Manila Bankers Life Insurance and Jopa Enterprises, Inc., and Vienna sausages from CDO Foodsphere, Inc.

For schoolbuilding repairs in the Visayas, Union Galvasteel Corporation will also donate roofing materials while Virginia Foods Corporation will provide additional supplies. Golden Prince Hotel also donated a one-classroom schoolbuilding to the pupils of Cabancalan Elementary School, which will be officially turned over to the school during the Brigada Eskwela.

PBSP members and partners are encouraged to join Brigada Eskwela by donating cleaning materials, books and school supplies, slippers or shoes and school bags, food for snacks, among others.

Employees are also encouraged to share their time as volunteers to scrub floors, fix damaged desks, and repaint walls.