Cebu City students to get free supplies

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City’s public school learners will begin the school year with complete educational materials in hand after the city government announced the early distribution of school supplies to all 135,000 students from Grades 1 to 10 ahead of the June 8 opening of classes.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival highlighted the initiative during the Division Kickoff of Brigada Eskwela 2026 held at Cambinocot Elementary School.

“Ang 135 thousand students gikan sa Grade 1 hangtud gyud sa Grade 10, matagaan atong bag at the same time educational nga mga gamit. This is from the Local School Board fund. Naa man tay budget ana,” Archival said.

The program is funded through the Local School Board (LSB), which has long provided school supplies to public school students but previously distributed them late in the school year.

LSB chairperson Joy Young emphasized the significance of releasing the supplies before the opening of classes.

“After many years of providing school supplies to our pupils already late in October to December—when parents had already bought their own supplies—the City School Board, through Mayor Nestor, distributed school supplies with backpacks to all 135,000 Grades 1 to 10 students during enrollment. This is the first time the school supplies are released during enrollment time,” Young said.

Councilor Nice Archival said the initiative fulfills one of their campaign promises.

“We are pleased to announce that all 135,000 students from Grade 1 to Grade 10 enrolled in Cebu City public schools will receive school supplies before the opening of classes. This fulfills one of our campaign promises—to help ease the burden on parents and ensure that every child begins the school year prepared and ready to learn,” she said.

The distribution forms part of the city’s education support program funded through the LSB as public schools prepare to reopen on June 8. Each learner will receive a backpack containing notebooks, pencils, and erasers.

The Brigada Eskwela kickoff, themed “Bayanihan sa Paaralan: Nagkakaisa para sa Kaayusan at Kaalaman,” also featured tree planting, cleanup drives, school repairs, and the ceremonial signing of a pledge of commitment to support quality education.

Archival also encouraged schools to adopt composting and rainwater harvesting practices, citing the city’s increasing waste management costs.

He commended Cambinocot Elementary School for its clean surroundings and abundance of trees, describing it as one of the most environmentally friendly schools he has visited.

With the early distribution of school supplies, Cebu City aims to prioritize preparedness while easing the financial burden on families to ensure that every learner starts the school year ready to succeed.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education Region 7 (DepEd-7) formally launched the regional kickoff of Brigada Eskwela 2026 at Subangdaku Elementary School in Mandaue City, highlighted by the turnover of a P50-million school building donated by a private institution.

The newly inaugurated two-story facility houses 10 classrooms, a world-class speech laboratory, and a gymnasium aimed at enhancing students’ learning experience.

Present during the ceremony were Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, Mandaue City officials led by Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy, Education Facilities Division Director III Michael de Guzman, along with education stakeholders and representatives from DepEd.

“The school building is a celebration of partnership, generosity, and shared responsibility,” said de Guzman, who delivered the message of Education Secretary Sonny Angara while thanking the donor of the building.

De Guzman noted that the country continues to face a shortage of around 165,443 classrooms, underscoring the vital role of private sector support in improving educational infrastructure and learning environments.

For her part, Marylou Ngo-Ang of Dynamic Castings Inc. emphasized that quality education goes beyond physical structures.

“A building alone does not educate a child. What truly matters is what happens inside these walls,” Ngo-Ang said.

She also thanked the Provincial Government of Cebu for supporting the school’s educational initiatives.

Ngo-Ang said Governor Baricuatro personally visited the school weeks earlier to assess its needs and later committed to providing a state-of-the-art speech laboratory for students.

Baricuatro also announced the provincial government’s commitment of P5 million for the establishment of a speech laboratory at the school.

In her speech, the governor emphasized the importance of collective efforts in educating children, stressing that education is a shared responsibility among parents, teachers, government agencies, private sector partners, and the wider community.

“Brigada Eskwela reminds us that educating a child is never the work of one person alone. It takes a community. It takes parents, teachers, government, private partners, and ordinary citizens coming together because we all believe that our children deserve the best possible future,” she said.

Baricuatro also expressed gratitude to Dynacast for donating the new school building, describing the facility as a place where students can nurture their dreams, discover their talents, and develop into future leaders.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dynacast for your generosity and commitment to education. I know that this building will be a place where dreams will grow, talents will be discovered, and future leaders will be shaped,” Baricuatro said.

She added that the planned speech laboratory aims to help students improve their communication skills, build confidence, and prepare for future opportunities.

“We hope this facility will help our young learners build confidence, strengthen their communication skills, and prepare them for the opportunities that await them in the future,” she said. —  Meriane Katherine Espina and Sofhia Grace Neri, CNU Interns/FPL