United States Army soldiers teamed up from 9 to 13 June, with members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to support the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Brigada Eskwela in Rizal, Palawan, rolling up their sleeves to renovate and prepare classrooms for the new academic year.

“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 US Military Assistance Group Philippines.

The US Army soldiers volunteered alongside members of the Philippine Marine Corps, Philippine Air Force and the PCG, who were in Palawan together for joint exercises. They worked with local community members to clean, paint, decorate and repair the facilities of five schools in Rizal: Malapandeg Elementary School, Guilingan Elementary School, Tarumpitao Point Elementary School, Rizal Central School and Jose P. Rizal National High School.

“It is inspiring to see service members contributing to education on the home front,” said DepEd officer-in-charge Undersecretary for Operations Malcolm S. Garma. “These students are the future of our nation. When we help them, we help built lasting peace and prosperity.”

Brigada Eskwela is the DepEd’s annual nationwide program that gathers volunteers and community members to help ensure schools are clean, safe and welcoming prior to the formal opening of classes. As a longstanding partner committed to community development, US service members have regularly supported the AFP and the Philippine government in initiatives such as Brigada Eskwela, as well as in disaster response, joint training exercises and other outreach activities.