Environmental group Joins Brigada Eskwela to Raise Awareness on Protecting Children from Hazardous Chemicals and Wastes

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As the country prepares for the resumption of school on July 29, environmental NGO BAN Toxics joined today’s Brigada Eskwela kickoff activity at Payatas B Elementary School (PBES) in Quezon City to promote toxic-free and waste-free schools. Carrying broomsticks, mops, paint, brushes, and other cleaning and maintenance materials, teachers, parents, and students gathered at the covered court in front of the school to formally open the weeklong activity.

Brigada Eskwela is an annual school maintenance program by the Department of Education (DepEd) where teachers, parents, and community members contribute their time, efforts, and resources to ensure public schools are ready for the start of classes.

“The annual Brigada Eskwela is a great opportunity for schools and communities to come together to raise awareness about toxic and waste concerns and ensure a safe environment for students and teachers,” said Antonio Miranda, Principal of PBES.

Speaking at the event, BAN Toxics Executive Director Reynaldo San Juan Jr. says it is important to ensure that school premises are not only clean, but are clear of toxic chemicals that may harm children. “Toxic chemicals may be present in paint, disinfectants, and even in the school supplies that our children use, and it is important that our community, especially the teachers and parents, are aware of this.”

The group recommended taking steps to make sure that the paints being used are free of lead, warning that despite being banned, some illegally imported lead-containing paints might still be sold in the market. Old plumbing systems that use lead pipes and fittings are also a source of lead contamination in water. San Juan Jr. added that they recently tested some school bags and water containers being sold in bargain stores that contain lead.

Lead is a potent neurotoxin that causes irreparable harm to children’s brains. It impairs their developing brains before they have the chance to mature fully, resulting in lifelong neurological, cognitive, and physical impairments. Childhood lead exposure is also associated with mental health and behavioral problems.

The group also advised being cautious when using common cleaning materials. For example, bleach can irritate the skin and eyes, and may cause asthma. Children are more vulnerable to breathing bleach vapors because their lungs are still developing. Bleach, when mixed with other chemicals that contain ammonia, vinegar, or other acids can create toxic gas.

Some liquid hand soaps available on the market also contain triclosan and triclocarban, antibacterial chemicals suspected of being endocrine disruptors and considered chemicals of emerging concern. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) interfere with the endocrine system, potentially disrupting hormone activity in the body and posing risks to fertility, reproductive organs, increasing the risk of cancer, suppressing the immune system, and causing skin irritation.

Phthalates, another EDC, are also found in air fresheners and cleaning and sanitizing products.

“An important step to ensuring the products we use are safe for children is to check the label for details about the ingredients. A good rule of thumb is to avoid products with no ingredient information. If you're unsure about a product, check whether it is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through their website,” San Juan Jr. said.

During the program, BAN Toxics and Traders Industrial Supply Co., Inc. (TRISCO), a private industrial trading firm, conducted chemical testing of school facilities, paint, and cleaning products using a handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer.

The group also discussed the importance of proper waste management in schools and emphasized the need to develop responsible waste habits in our children. “Our kids need to be well-educated on reducing waste, particularly plastic waste, and on proper segregation. They need to understand that plastic pollution poses a growing threat to human health and the environment,” San Juan Jr. said.

A highlight of the event was the signing of a memorandum of agreement between BAN Toxics and PBES administrators for the Toxic-Free and Waste-Free Schools Program (TFSP), which aims to raise awareness about the proper management of chemicals and waste in schools.

The TFSP has been one of the main initiatives of BAN Toxics since 2009. The program was designed to raise awareness on the negative effects of toxic chemicals and wastes found in schools, homes, and communities and promote environmentally sustainable and safe alternatives, as well as educate students and members of the community on sound chemical and waste management.

“We look forward to increased cooperation with our academic institutions, and we hope that the newly appointed DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara will prioritize the health and safety of our teachers and students,” San Juan Jr. said.

The group called on the new DepEd Secretary to initiate new programs that would raise the knowledge of teachers and students on hazardous chemicals and proper waste management and promote a safer and healthier learning environment.

Meet the filmmakers of the Bacolod Film Festival

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The Bacolod Film Festival will premiere ten short films at SM Bacolod and Ayala Malls Capitol Central cinemas in September.

The recipients of production grants worth 300,000 pesos each from the Bacolod City government are Chelsea Tasic (“A Flower A Day”), Charlene Mead Tupas (“Aninaw”), Juan Carlo Miguel “Jayce” Ferraris (“Blind Date”), Zack Verzosa (“Glub”), Pau Ortaliz Santos (“Laragway sa Karon”), Banjo Hinolan (“Manokan Country”), Willbryan Garcia (“Puli Na, Diche Lesly”), VinJo Entuna (“Sa Pwesto ni Pistong”), Oscar Villanueva (“The Mansion”), and Georgia Elardo (“Those Little Things”).

Chelsea, 20, is a second-year nursing student and filmmaker at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City. She started to pursue her passion in filmmaking during her senior high school at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R), where she directed two award-winning short films at the UNO-R SHS DigiFest in 2021 and 2022. She also directed “Dalit sa Sala,” which won both People’s Choice award and special citation for its compelling story, at the Sine Negrense: Negros Island Film Festival in 2023.

Meanwhile, Charlene has honed her craft as an alumna of the Maskara Theatre Ensemble and as a member of The Performance Laboratory, Inc. These institutions trained her in community theatre, deepening her understanding of its role in entertainment, education, and advocacy. As an actor, writer, and director, she has contributed to national art festivals, conferences, and collaborative exchanges with theatre groups and artists across the country, guided by theater director Tanya P. Lopez. She garnered national acclaim in 2020 as the grand prize winner of Nespresso Talents for her short film “Tsinelas.”

Jayce is currently pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Digital Film at Mapua University Makati. He had his directorial debut in the short film “Please Hold...” in 2023. He also directed and produced the short documentary “Bacolod's Drag Odyssey” this year. In addition, Jayce also edited the Puregold Cinepanalo short film “Saan Ako Pinaglihi?”

Zack recently graduated cum laude with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication at USLS. He joined the Bacolod Summer Workshop screenwriting class in 2022. He wrote and directed “Añoranza” and “Ritmo,” Sine Negrense Open Category finalists in 2023 and 2022, respectively. He also wrote and directed “Instrumentum: Garden of Eden,” which won the Best TV Drama in the Bilib Awards in 2021. He also wrote “Yours Truly” which won Best Picture in the Inasal Awards in 2022 and “Anstal” in 2021.

Pau is a filmmaker with a rich background in screenwriting and video journalism. Starting her career as a screenwriter, she worked on short films such as “Sinta” (2022), “Andromeda” (2021), and “Siete Palabras” (2021). Before venturing into the world of filmmaking, Pau honed her skills as a video journalist for Tolentine Star, the official student publication of UNO-R.

Banjo is a Bacolod-born-and-raised filmmaker with a Mass Communication degree from USLS. His background in theater and film production is complemented by his experience as a director, videographer, and video editor for various cable TV stations in Bacolod City. He is also a part-time instructor at his alma mater. He has participated in and conducted numerous workshops in film production, cinematography, film editing, and directing. His talents have taken him to national and international film productions as both actor and production personnel. He was also mentored by Tanya and the late multi-awarded filmmaker Peque Gallaga.

Willbryan studied Psychology at USLS and is also an alumnus of USLS Maskara Theatre Ensemble like Charlene and Banjo. He has done acting jobs both on stage and on TV. He co-directed the short film “Indi Sya Si Jimmy” which had its premiere at CineKasimanwa: The Western Visayas Film Festival in 2023.

VinJo is a filmmaker from Bacolod City and a graduate of the University of the Philippines Film Institute in 2021. His film training includes attending workshops such as Ricky Lee's Scriptwriting Workshop in 2020, Inggo Petzke's Experimental Filmmaking Workshop in 2019, and the Bacollywood Workshops in 2015. His work “Ang Amomonggo sa Aton” won Best Animated Film at both Gawad Alternatibo and Ateneo Video Open (AVO) in 2022. The film also got the Best Student Film award at the SEA x SEA: South East Asia x Seattle Film Festival (2022), first runner-up for Best Animated Film at the second Pinoy Rebyu Awards (2022), Jury's Choice award at Sine Negrense (2021), Best Screenplay and Far Eastern University Center for the Arts (FCA) Award at SinePiyu, and also the Best Sound Design at AVO in 2022.

Born and raised in Bacolod City, Oscar studied cinematography under the Negros Summer Workshops and sound design under the Bacollywood Summer Workshops. Oscar’s love for screenwriting led him to becoming a filmmaker, which materialized when his script was selected in the Bacolod Film Festival.

Georgia is a filmmaker, digital media artist, and a graduate of La Consolacion College Bacolod. Her short film “Si Tinay Kag Ang Tamawo” was part of the 2019 Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival in Davao.

Catch the BFF filmmakers and their films in Bacolod cinemas this September.

Angara temporarily defers RPMS submission to let teachers focus on SY 2024-2025 opening of classes

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Education Secretary Sonny Angara signed on Monday a memorandum extending the deadline of submission for SY 2023-2024 performance ratings until September 2024, while deferring the implementation of the Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) for all school-based personnel for School Year (SY) 2024-2025.

Under the memorandum, the RPMS submission for SY 2023-2024 will be moved to September 15 for performance review and evaluation, and September 30, 2024 for performance rewarding and development planning.

The adjustment was set to avoid consequences and possible grounds for disqualifications from monetary and non-monetary performance-related incentives such as step increments, training opportunities, promotion, and educational support among others.

Meanwhile, for SY 2024-2025, all RPMS-related activities at the school level shall be deferred until further notice, including performance planning and commitment, monitoring, assessment, and evaluation of the school and individual personnel.

Sec. Angara noted that this is in response to the need for teaching and non-teaching personnel to focus on the preparations for the opening of classes for SY 2024-2025.

“Ang reklamo ng mga teachers is nakakasabay siya [RPMS] sa bukasan ng pasukan. So, ang daming kailangang documentation, tapos sabay ‘yong Brigada Eskwela, sabay ‘yong opening of classes,” Angara said.

Angara has likewise instructed the Executive Committee of the DepEd to form a Task Force to review and study the implementation of RPMS at the school level for SY 2024-2025 to streamline, improve, and simplify its processes and requirements.

"Bubuo tayo ng isang task force upang araling simplehan at padaliin ang requirement na ito," Angara said, emphasizing that "klaro ang utos ng ating Civil Service Commission na kailangan ang mga ganitong klaseng evaluation process."



For non-school based personnel in the DepEd Central Office, Regional Offices, and Schools Division Offices, the implementation of RPMS for FY 2024 will proceed as planned.