DepEd lauds Naga’s support to Brigada Eskwela
By Armie B. Gunay
MASBATE CITY --- The Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office and DepEd Region V cited Naga City as Diamond awardee during the 2018 Gawad Brigada Awards held last October 18 and 19, 2018 in this capital city of the island province of Masbate.
The 2018 Gawad Brigada Diamond Award is the highest award being conferred by DepEd to at least three local government units (LGUs) that include Naga City this year.
In his Facebook post, Mayor John Bongat said that Naga City has long been supportive of the Brigada Eskwela Program of the Deped. Yearly, city government officials and city hall employees join the clean-up drive among public schools before the start of each school year in June.
Bongat also thanked the Naga City Local Government Unit Employees Association (NACILGUEA), headed by Anselmo Maño, for adopting all public schools this year as Brigada Eskwela beneficiaries.
Ernani Suron, the head of the Education, Sports and Scholarships Office (ESSO) who received the award in behalf of the City Government of Naga emphasized the invaluable support being extended by the city government in the implementation of the Brigada Eskwela, otherwise known as the National Schools Maintenance Week.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Naga already institutionalized its local version of Brigada Eskwela thru the QUEEN Program ordinance authored by Vice Mayor Nelson Legacion, as well as the Education Code of Naga City authored by City Councilor Gregorio Abonal. QUEEN stands for “Quality Universal Elementary Education in Naga.”
The mayor also thanked the PTA League and City Schools Superintendent William Gando and all stakeholders for their roles in the Brigada program.
Private individuals, organizations and institutions were also recognized by DepEd for their support in the implementation of Brigada Eskwela— helping generate funds for the needed construction and repairs of classrooms and other school facilities.
This year, the Naga City government has appropriated a total of P20M in financial assistance to various projects of DepEd-Naga City.