Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday joined volunteers and personnel from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in preparing a public elementary school in Quezon City for the opening of classes under the Department of Education's (DepEd) annual Brigada Eskwela program.

Duterte led Brigada Eskwela activities at Diosdado P. Macapagal Elementary School in Barangay Tatalon, where OVP personnel participated in cleaning, maintenance and school preparation efforts ahead of the opening of School Year 2026-2027.

The activity forms part of the Department of Education's (DepEd) annual Brigada Eskwela campaign, which mobilizes volunteers from local communities, government agencies, civic organizations and the private sector to help prepare public schools before classes begin.

According to the OVP, this year's participation aims to strengthen cooperation among parents, teachers, local government units, civil society groups, alumni associations and community volunteers in support of quality education.

This year's Brigada Eskwela carries the theme, “Bayanihan sa Paaralan: Nagkakaisa para sa Kaayusan at Kaalaman,” highlighting community participation in improving learning environments.

Diosdado P. Macapagal Elementary School serves 3,904 learners from Kindergarten to Grade 6 and has 66 classrooms. The school mainly caters to children from urban poor communities in the area.

The vice president's office earlier distributed cleaning and maintenance materials to San Vicente Elementary School and Pinyahan Elementary School, both located in Quezon City, ahead of the Brigada Eskwela activities. 

The OVP is also set to hold a similar school preparation drive on Wednesday at Gen. Vicente Lim Elementary School in Tondo, Manila.

Brigada Eskwela comes as DepEd prepares for the return of approximately 28 million learners nationwide for the incoming school year.

While the initiative has long been praised for promoting the Filipino value of bayanihan, teachers' organizations have raised concerns that public school teachers continue to shoulder expenses that should otherwise be covered by government funding.

“The survey results expose the grim reality that teachers remain burdened by expenses that should be covered by the state. Even with the largest share of the national budget allocated to education, teachers are still forced to spend from their own pockets just to make schools ready for learners," ACT Teachers Chairperson Ruby Bernardo said.

The Department of Education expects around 28 million learners to enroll for School Year 2026-2027, making school preparation efforts critical ahead of the opening of classes later this month.