DIPOLOG CITY (Mindanao Examiner / May 21, 2013) – Government troops have joined parents and students in cleaning up schools in Zamboanga del Norte province ahead of the opening of classes next month.
Dubbed as “Brigada Eskwela” or the National Schools’ Maintenance Week, troops put away their rifles and armed themselves with brooms and dust pans, and paint brush and helped clean selected government schools in the province.
Col. Apolinario Alobba, commander of the 10st Infantry Brigade, said troops were happy to help in the program which was initiated by the Department of Education and engages the voluntary participation of teachers and faculty members, parents, students and other stakeholders to help clean public schools and provide students with an environment conducive for learning.
“These are non-traditional roles that our soldiers regularly do and we are doing this advocacy as part of our community service not only as protector of the people, but also their partner in the conduct of civic actions and other community services particularly to the needy. The activity highlights and advocates the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Internal Peace and Security Plan called Bayanihan,” Alobba said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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