There is something special about the start of every school year.

Long before the students return to their classrooms, there are people quietly preparing the way for them. Teachers arrange chairs, parents sweep hallways, volunteers paint walls, and community partners gather school supplies. It is a familiar scene that is repeated every year, yet it never fails to move me.

A week ago, I was invited by the Schools Division Office of Las Piñas to witness the kickoff activities for the opening of the new school year. The event was held at Las Piñas Elementary School Central as part of the annual Brigada Eskwela program.

As I walked around the campus, I saw teachers scrubbing floors, parents carrying paint buckets, students helping clean classrooms, and volunteers repairing school facilities. Several organizations donated learning materials and supplies for the children who would soon begin another year of education.

It was a beautiful display of generosity.

One group of volunteers spent the entire morning repainting worn-out chairs. A parent who had just finished work the night before still showed up to help clean classrooms. Business owners quietly donated notebooks and pencils without expecting recognition. These may seem like small acts, but together they create something powerful: hope.

Every drop of sweat represented a belief that our children deserve the best possible environment for learning.

Moments like these make me proud of our community. They remind me that generosity is not measured by the amount we give, but by the willingness to help wherever there is a need.

Yet alongside that pride is a feeling of concern.

For decades, Brigada Eskwela has become a yearly tradition across the country. It highlights the best qualities of Filipinos: bayanihan, volunteerism, and community spirit. But it also reminds us of a difficult reality. Many public schools continue to rely on donations, volunteer labor, and private sector assistance to address recurring needs before every school opening.

The annual cleanup and donation drives have become so normal that we sometimes forget to ask why these needs continue to exist year after year.

As Education Committee chairperson of the Las Piñas City Council, I believe that volunteerism should complement our education system, not compensate for its shortcomings. While we celebrate the generosity of our communities, we must also work toward long-term solutions that will provide schools with adequate resources, facilities, and support.

This requires a multi-sectoral approach involving local governments, national agencies, private organizations, educators, parents and civic groups. Sustainable policies and stronger investments in education are necessary if we want every child to have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Still, despite the challenges, I remain hopeful.

Every time I witness Brigada Eskwela, I am reminded that generosity remains alive in the hearts of Filipinos. It is found in the teacher who arrives early, the parent who volunteers despite a busy schedule, the donor who gives quietly, and the neighbor who simply asks, “How can I help?”

As Scripture reminds us in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

May this inspire us not only to prepare our schools for another opening day, but to continue building a future where every child receives the education they deserve.

Because when we invest in our children, we invest in the future of our nation.