Brigada Eskwela in Brgy. Payatas, QC Champions a Toxics-Free and Waste-Free Return to School

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As the sun rose over Barangay Payatas, Quezon City on June 10, the narrow streets came alive with vibrant colors, lively drums, and a resounding spirit of unity. Hundreds of students, teachers, parents, and community leaders marched proudly in a community parade—marking not just the annual launch of Brigada Eskwela, but a bold call for a safer, cleaner, and more sustainable future in Philippine education.

In partnership with BAN Toxics, a staunch environmental watchdog advocating for children's right to a toxics-free environment, Payatas B Elementary School (PBES) emerged as a beacon of change. Together, they rallied behind the cause of a toxics-free and waste-free opening of classes for School Year 2025–2026, scheduled to commence on June 16.

A Movement Rooted in Bayanihan

Brigada Eskwela, the Department of Education’s yearly maintenance initiative, is known for mobilizing communities to prepare schools for the return of students. This year’s theme, “Sama-sama Para sa Bayang Bumabasa”, reinforces the role of collective action—not just in academic development, but also in creating physically and emotionally safe learning spaces.

In Payatas, this message was taken to heart.

Over 1,500 participants engaged in a sweeping clean-up drive across the school grounds and surrounding areas. Brooms swept the streets, garbage bags filled with clutter lined the sidewalks, and murals of environmental advocacy adorned school walls. But this year’s Brigada was more than cosmetic.

It was transformational.

Protecting the Youngest Citizens

“School is like a second home for our children, so it is crucial to protect their health and safety,” emphasized Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics. “Proper management of chemicals and waste must be an integral part of the school system to prevent harmful exposure to students and staff.”

At the heart of this initiative lies BAN Toxics' Toxics-Free and Waste-Free Schools Program (TFSP), a comprehensive campaign aiming to eliminate harmful substances in schools and educate communities about sustainable practices. With the aid of advanced XRF handheld analyzers, BAN Toxics screened various materials in the school—paints, surfaces, cleaning agents—to ensure the environment was safe from lead, mercury, and other toxic substances.

From Partnership to Purpose

This collaboration between PBES and BAN Toxics is not new. In fact, it is the product of a groundbreaking agreement signed in 2024, committing the school to a higher standard of environmental safety and student welfare.

“We greatly appreciate the support of BAN Toxics and other partners in helping our school provide a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone,” said PBES Principal Antonio Miranda.

Through the TFSP, the school is not only mitigating risks but empowering students and teachers alike to become environmental stewards. Learning modules now include lessons on chemical safety, proper segregation, zero-waste practices, and even urban gardening.

The program aligns with critical national frameworks such as:

The National Environmental Awareness and Education Act

DENR chemical safety regulations

DepEd’s directives on lead-safe paint and ecological solid waste management

The Commission on Human Rights’ agenda on chemical and environmental safety

A Vision for All Schools

BAN Toxics believes that the transformation seen at PBES can be a model for the entire nation.

“Initiatives like the TFSP should be institutionalized across all schools,” urged Dizon. “They are not supplementary—they are essential. DepEd’s support is commendable, but we must take the next step: system-wide implementation of chemical safety and zero-waste strategies.”

The group calls for the Department of Education to formalize and mainstream toxics-free and waste-free practices, ensuring every Filipino child studies in an environment that nurtures not only the mind, but also the body and the planet.

A March Toward the Future

In Payatas, where poverty and pollution have long been part of the landscape, the movement sparked by Brigada Eskwela and BAN Toxics is more than symbolic. It’s a real-life revolution—where education meets environmental justice, and where the youngest members of society are taught that they deserve clean air, safe walls, and dignity in their learning spaces.

As classes begin on June 16, the students of Payatas B Elementary School won’t just be armed with notebooks and pencils. They’ll carry with them the knowledge and courage to demand a better world—and the example of their community will lead the way.

In the words painted by one young student on a newly scrubbed classroom wall:

“Ang kalikasan ay paaralan din—dito tayo natutong magmalasakit.”

(Environment is also a classroom—here, we learn how to care.)

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