American and Filipino troops swapped their combat gear for paintbrushes and toolkits as they joined forces to revamp five public schools in Rizal town from 9 to 13 June, as part of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) annual Brigada Eskwela.

United States Army soldiers, in the country for joint military exercises, partnered with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to clean, repair, and repaint classrooms ahead of the upcoming 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 U.S. Military Assistance Group in the Philippines.

The collaborative effort benefited five schools: Malapandeg Elementary School, Guilingan Elementary School, Tarumpitao Point Elementary School, Rizal Central School, and Jose P. Rizal National High School.

DepEd Undersecretary for Operations Malcolm S. Garma lauded the volunteers, saying, “It is inspiring to see service members contributing to education on the home front. These students are the future of our nation. When we help them, we help build lasting peace and prosperity.”

Brigada Eskwela is a nationwide volunteer program that mobilizes community members, local government units, and private sector partners to help prepare public schools for class openings. The U.S. military has long supported Philippine development initiatives, including disaster response, community outreach, and civic assistance programs such as this.

The recent participation of U.S. troops underscores the growing people-to-people ties between the two nations, extending cooperation beyond defense into community building.