This year’s Brigada Eskwela marked a significant milestone for First Balfour as the company joined 55 schools in celebration of its 55th anniversary. A record-high achievement and a first in its history, First Balfour teams were present in public schools located in 14 different provinces, including Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Pampanga, Rizal, Batangas, Laguna, Albay, Sorsogon, Leyte, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Davao de Oro, Cotabato, and Davao del Sur.
Click to see all 55 group photos on First Balfour’s official Facebook page
A national initiative, the Department of Education’s annual Brigada Eskwela aims to prepare public schools for the upcoming academic year. Local communities, parents, alumni, private corporations, NGOs, and even students join together to volunteer, assisting with various maintenance tasks, small repairs, and clean-ups. First Balfour’s journey with Brigada Eskwela began exactly a decade ago, supporting a single school in the Napa Day Care Center in Parañaque City. Over the years, the involvement of employees and partnerships with more communities grew. In 2023, we joined the Brigada Eskwela of 13 schools, then the highest number we had ever supported. This year, the company achieved its best-ever level of participation, both in terms of the number of schools and volunteer count.
2014: Renovation of the Napa Day Care Center in Marcelo Green participated by 37 employees
The success of this year’s Brigada Eskwela was driven by the 605 employee volunteers from Head Office divisions and departments and project management teams nationwide. In partnership with Boysen Paints Philippines, which generously donated 1,110 liters of paint for distribution to our chosen beneficiaries, volunteers were able to do the much-needed repainting works for a number of public schools.
Our team in Leyte joined the Brigada Eskwela of nine public schools (Photos by Mark Anthony Alquiza)
Additionally, essential school supplies were donated to support over 400 grade schoolers in three different public schools including Tongonan Elementary School in Kananga, Leyte; Dungga Elementary School in Valencia, Negros Oriental; and Datu Umpan IP School in Kidapawan City. Notebooks, pad papers, coloring materials, and other school supplies were purchased from PhP 85,000 worth of funds raised from the following company activities: registration fees to the First Balfour Barkada Trail Run in January, proceeds from the 2nd First Balfour Food Fair held in July, and employee cash and PTO donations. A number of First Balfour utility personnel also received these school supplies kits for their school-aged children.
Site finance representative Fely Tokoyen hands out a school supplies kit to a grade schooler in Valencia
Among First Balfour’s project teams, our contingent in the Bicol Region participated in the Brigada Eskwela of 12 schools, the highest number of schools supported among our host communities (see photos below). Project HR Sarah Ondangan of our Sorsogon projects shares, “We plan to reach out to more schools from nearby barangays in the next Brigada Eskwela and add more manpower for cleaning and repairs. We saw the current conditions of the schools we visited and we recognize the need for more extensive repairs, repainting, and other maintenance work.”
Similarly, following their first year of joining Brigada Eskwela, T1 Rentals looks to continue and do more for their communities next year. Cebu Branch Manager Nur Yasser Abubakar shares his thoughts, “I’m genuinely pleased with the success of Brigada Eskwela. Hopefully, we will have more volunteers and we will be able to get sponsors to join us in this very relevant cause.”
Clockwise from top left: T1 Rentals Clark in Porac National High School, T1 Rentals Batangas in Talaga Central School, T1 Rentals Cebu in Cesar M. Cabahug Elementary School, and T1 Rentals Davao in Binugao National High School
First Balfour’s commitment to Brigada Eskwela aligns with the program’s broader objectives of addressing resource gaps in public education through public-private partnerships. By contributing to this national initiative, the company helps ensure that students start the school year in clean, safe, and conducive learning environments.
