One for All, All for One
via Pauline Lorenzo
There are many unique things that we can encounter in Filipinos. May it be in their culture, values, characteristics and many more aspects of their lives. In the Philippines, the bayanihan spirit is the most commonly known cultural value even from the start. Despite the modern world we’re currently living in, it’s truly a must to show this kind of spirit until today.
In the earlier times, bayanihan was a term known for helping a neighbor to move their house. But as times passed, it’s not only about moving houses from one place to another, but also about helping other people to achieve certain goals without asking for any rewards.
One of the best examples of showing bayanihan is through conducting Brigada Eskwela at every school, including Itawes National High School (INHS). In line with this, Vice President and former Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) stated that, "Brigada Eskwela or Schools Maintenance Week is an appeal to the bayanihan spirit of every Filipino to help prepare our schools for the opening of classes”.
Hence, this is a very effective way to showcase our bayanihan spirit because it portrays our way of prioritizing the cleanliness and good health of the teachers, students, faculty and staff. Through this, it will result to a smooth flow of classes especially that the school year is just around the corner.
Also, this kind of spirit is really present even at times where we can’t go to school to help and participate in the Brigada Eskwela. As long as we are willing, there is always a way to cooperate such as donating money instead to help the school for its needs. Through this, we can show a sense of resourcefulness and effort.
Furthermore, this initiative will definitely ensure an inclusive and child-friendly learning environment and will surely strengthen the resiliency of schools for a quality education.
However, the spirit of bayanihan can’t be easily shown due to potential problems and hindrance, most especially when you don’t learn prioritize yourself. Some cases can also happen during Brigada Eskwelas, such as the insufficient number of people willing to help and the lack of resources.
On the other side, if we learn to adapt to these challenges we sometimes face by being resourceful and resilient, we can achieve the true meaning of bayanihan. Also remember that, we can’t always help other people if we don’t help ourselves in the first place.
To conclude, Brigada Eskwela is an essential component in showcasing our bayanihan by helping others to promote a safe and clean environment, finding a way to accomplish our goals and strengthen our resiliency. With the helping hands of Filipinos working together as a nation, it’s certain that if one can sacrifice for his/her countrymen, all people can surely sacrifice for a single person.
