Coca-Cola joins Brigada Eskwela

CEBU, Philippines - In its commitment to support education and as part of its corporate social responsibility, softdrink giant Coca-Cola Philippines Cebu Plant joined the call of Department of Education (DepEd) for the private sector to be more active in helping the country’s public schools.

Ann Trasmonte, Coca-Cola Cebu Plant Human Resource manager, said around 60 Coca-Cola Cebu’s employees volunteered and joined hands in repairing the roof and the stage of Buagsong Elementary School in the town of Cordova as part of Deped’s Brigada Eskwela, an annual Oplan Balik Eskwela to prepare public schools for the opening of a new school year.

Trasmonte said this is also a way of making employees feel that the company they are working for is socially responsible.

Trasmonte said they choose the said school for this year based on the assessment made by their salesmen who frequent the said town.

This is the fourth year that the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc. through its Cebu plant supports the Multi-Grade School Program of the education department.

They conducted Brigada Eskwela in Mulao Elementary School in the Municipality of Liloan in 2008, in Mambaling Elementary School in Cebu City in 2009 and in Florencio Urot Elementary School in Cebu City last year.

The Brigada Eskwela (Bayanihan Para sa Paaralan) is a nationwide schools’ maintenance program that calls on all education stakeholders to contribute their time, efforts, and resources in ensuring that public schools are all set for the opening of classes.

 The program involves volunteer teachers, parents, students, community members and other organizations doing minor repairs on schools in preparation for the start of the school year.

The volunteers undertake minor maintenance work such as the repainting of the roof and exterior walls, repair of leaking water pipes, ceiling boards, broken furniture and windows, among others. — (FREEMAN)