BRIGADA ESKWELA 2023: Welcome to DASNHS

 "Welcome First Balfour.  Thank you Ma'ám Anchel."

As we entered the campus of Dr. Arcadio Santos National High School  (DASNHS) in Barangay San Martin de Porres in Paranaque City, these are the words we heard booming out of the school sound system. It was a Monday morning and the day (Aug 14) was the start of Brigada Eskwela  or School Maintenance Week of the Department of Education (DepEd).   Running from Aug 14 to 19, the advocacy program aims to encourage more local governments, communities, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and other local and national partners to support the implementation of Brigada Eskwela (BE)  and contribute in adequately preparing public schools for the opening of classes on Aug 29.  

Our company, First Balfour (FB) , has been joining annually BE activities since 2014.  To date, FB has mobilized more than 500 employees who participate in this annual activity.  From 2014-2022, FB's Brigada Eskwela activities have touched the lives of the students, teachers and parents of 42 public schools all over the country.    BE is a practical Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity for FB given that our construction projects are in many provinces from Ilocos Norte up north to  South Cotabato down south. Our project teams are encouraged to have an active engagement with the barangays around its project and what better way to engage with the community than to be active in helping with its needs.  An ever-present need of the communities is to have a clean, safe, inclusive and child-friendly  learning environment for its young learners. With the Bayanihan spirit, our project teams and employees get to help in repairing and cleaning the public school facilities via the BE. Collaborating with our communities is very much aligned with our Mission.  It is also a big plus for our company culture to encourage volunteerism  among our FB employees. Workers who participate in volunteerism benefit from higher morale and an increase in overall happiness which is true to the spirit of one of our  Lopez core values -  Employee welfare and wellness.      

We have been engaging with DASNHS since 2016.  It is one of 2 public high schools in Paranaque City where FB has a tie up on the technical-vocational (techvoc) track, specifically on electrical installation and maintenance (EIM), for its senior high school students.  The point person in FB for this techvoc initiative is Anchel Cruz, our HR Employee Engagement Officer. That is the reason why she is  known in DASNHS, thus the enthusiastic welcome for us on that Aug 14 morning. 

Anchel in front of the electrical wiring mock up which is utilized in the EIM program of the techvoc track in DASNHS

As for me, it is my first time to participate in the BE activity of our company. It was therefore a novel thing for me when the teachers at the registration table inquired from me: "Parent po?" The entrance to the school had a registration table for the BE participants and those coming in had to register either as students, teachers, alumni, parents, LGU members, MMDA, uniformed personnel, and private sector. Had to line up with the rest of the First Balfour delegation (13 all in all) at the private sector line.

FB volunteers registering for Brigada Eskwela at the entrance of DASNHS 

Boys and Girls Scouts participating in the BE in DASNHS 

Group photo of FB volunteers with DASNHS faculty

After the customary group photo with some of the DASNHS administrators and faculty, the FB volunteers where assigned the task of painting the stairway area of one of the 6 buildings in the campus. To this area we proceeded and performed the assigned task with much gusto as the following photos would attest:

Anchel leading the way in preparing the stairway...

...the painting to follow by the eager... 

...young volunteers.

The Bicolano Penguin joining the young ones.  

Team work is fun.

There is fun in  lugaw with malunggay courtesy of DASNHS. 

Anchel the project supervisor for this BE in DASNHS  

After merienda, putting on the finishing...

...touches on the painting of the  stairway area.

Gardening work by DASNHS faculty during this Brigada Eskwela 2023. 

Helper's High.  All smiles after a good job.  

Bayanihan Handshake between DASNHS' Mr. Macatugal (EIM instructor) and FB's Anchel. 

Conversing with some of the FB young volunteers, I find it both interesting and inspiring to know about their candid reasons for joining the BE activity in DASNHS on that day:

Jessica, Mgt Trainee:

"When I first saw the email, honestly at first I thought that Brigada Eskwela was an activity wherein we are to "tutor" or be substitute teachers for a (half) day. With that in mind, I answered in the google form and confirmed my participation. But, this doesn't mean I have any regrets the moment I've searched and learned that Brigada Eskwela was about cleaning and repairing schools before the school year starts. I was all the more excited! I have always loved "year-end cleanups" during grade school and high school, and I also participated in volunteering at public schools during my college days (courtesy of my civil engineering organization in my university). It was also nice to see the "bayanihan" of the community helping these public schools, specifically the school staff, every year. It was a very nostalgic and joyful experience and I am fortunate that we have this kind of participation in First Balfour."

Bryce, Mgt Trainee:

"Being candid I really wanted to go out of the office...  I also like enjoy the moments where I can immerse myself and see my actions directly impact the community. The painting and minor cleaning we did in Dr. Arcadio National High School may have been a relatively small act but it keeps me grounded and helps me see the world outside the quantities we define it in."

Rhona, Procurement Officer:

"Brigada Eskwala gives me the feeling nung nag aaral pa po ako. Simula elementary active po ako sa pag join sa brigada, since public schools po ako nag aaral. And one thing is, it made me realize na ang layo na po pala ng napuntahan ko.Malayo na ngunit malayo pa. And thanks to First Balfour for giving me this nostalgic moment." 

It was indeed satisfying that Monday morning to volunteer for the BE in DASNHS. Happy to know that while us in Paranaque were doing good work in DASNHS, other FB employees were busy too in BE activities in provinces where our projects are located. 

FB's Tanawon Project Team volunteers at the BE in Tublijon Elementary School, Juban, Sorsogon  last Aug 14. 

First Agua East Bay Project Team volunteers at the BE in Kabulusan Elementary School, Pakil, Laguna last Aug 15.    

Collaborating with our communities for a better tomorrow.  Bayanihan sa Brigada Eskwela.  Walking the talk of our Mission.