The start of the Brigada Eskwela 2026 campaign has sparked renewed debate among teachers, parents, and education officials over the funding of public school preparations. Despite the campaign’s goal of promoting the spirit of bayanihan, many acknowledge that implementing Brigada Eskwela remains challenging due to the limited Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) allocated to each school.
Prohibited Compulsory Contribution
The Department of Education (DepEd), through DepEd Memorandum No. 027, s. 2026, emphasized that compulsory financial contributions are prohibited and that participation in Brigada Eskwela must not be made a requirement for student enrollment or the release of school records. Despite the policy, questions remain on how schools can meet essential needs such as paint, cleaning materials, and maintenance work when government funding is insufficient.
As a result, many frontline educators continue to shoulder the costs using their own money. Vanessa Flores, an English teacher at Mactan National High School–Junior High School, said teachers rarely rely solely on the school’s budget and often use their own allowances to purchase instructional materials. “In reality, teachers don’t usually depend on the school’s budget since we also use our own allowances for instructional materials,” Flores said, adding that the school’s limited budget is often reserved for larger projects and structural repairs.
Depending on Generous Parents, Private Organizations
Michel Along, a Filipino teacher at Mactan National High School–Senior High School, said the lack of adequate government funding forces schools to depend on the generosity of parents and private organizations. “Ito ang pinakamahirap sapagkat ang DepEd naman talaga dapat ang magbibigay ng budget para sa kaunlaran ng paaralan; ngunit in reality, ang mga NGO, pribadong sektor, at maging ang mga magulang ang nagboboluntaryo sa paglilinis at pagbibigay ng mga kagamitan dahil hindi sapat ang naibibigay na budget ng institusyon,” Along said. (This is the hardest part because DepEd should be providing the budget for school development. In reality, however, NGOs, the private sector, and even parents volunteer their time and provide supplies because the institution’s funding is insufficient.)
Mixed Reactions
Parents expressed mixed reactions to expectations of contributing to Brigada Eskwela, with some preferring to volunteer their time instead of giving monetary donations. Evelyn Garong, a parent, said genuine support should be demonstrated through active participation rather than financial contributions. “As a parent, I do not believe in paying money or giving supplies just to have my children enrolled or cleared. Instead, I fulfill my responsibilities by actively participating and giving my full support to Brigada Eskwela,” Garong said.
The continuing discussion on Brigada Eskwela highlights the tension between the ideal of bayanihan and the reality of limited government funding, leaving schools to balance the need for safe learning environments without placing additional burdens on teachers and parents.
