More Filipino Kids Can Now Start School Sooner: DepEd Adjusts Kindergarten Cut-Off Age to October 31

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

A sweeping change in the education landscape is about to unfold — one that could shape the future of thousands of Filipino children. The Department of Education (DepEd), in a decisive move aligned with the Bagong Pilipinas vision of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., has revised the cut-off age for Kindergarten learners, opening more doors to early childhood education beginning School Year 2025–2026.

Gone is the rigid August 31 cut-off that has long kept September- and October-born children waiting an extra year to begin formal learning. Under the new policy, any child who turns five years old on or before October 31 of the school year is now eligible for Kindergarten enrollment.

A Policy Shift That Echoes Through Filipino Homes

For many Filipino families, this adjustment is not just a bureaucratic change — it’s a long-awaited relief.

Take the case of Ramil Bautista from Pasig City. With bright eyes and a hopeful voice, he’s preparing to enroll his son, Noah, in Bagong Ilog Elementary School this June. Noah turns five this August, making him eligible under both the old and new rules. But Ramil’s voice thickens with emotion when he thinks of other families.

“Marami sa mga bata, lalo na yung pinanganak ng September o October, dati ay napag-iiwanan. Ngayon, magkakaroon sila ng pantay na pagkakataon,” he said.

For Ramil, early education is the cornerstone of a child’s future — a belief now reinforced by national policy.

“Gusto ko matutunan ng anak ko hindi lang ang pagbasa at pagsusulat, kundi pati ang paggalang, pakikitungo sa kapwa, at disiplina. Hindi lahat ‘yan natuturo sa bahay.”

Not Just Numbers — But Lives

This change is expected to benefit tens of thousands of children annually — kids who, under the previous policy, would have spent another year waiting, missing out on crucial developmental milestones achieved through structured learning.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara, in his statement, emphasized the deeper rationale behind the change.

“This policy is rooted in our understanding that every child grows and learns at their own pace. By allowing more flexibility in the Kindergarten age requirement, we are making sure that each learner has the opportunity to start strong and succeed from day one.”

And for children who turn five between November 1 and December 31, all hope is not lost. These children can still enroll — provided they’ve completed a one-year Early Childhood Development (ECD) program from a recognized Child Development or Learning Center, or if they meet readiness through the ECD checklist during enrollment and the first week of classes.

Ensuring Readiness and Flexibility

Private schools are also mandated to adopt the revised cut-off, though they retain the discretion to conduct their own readiness assessments. This measure ensures that quality remains uncompromised, while providing flexibility for educational institutions.

With over 1.8 million Kindergarten learners enrolled in 2024 out of a total 26.4 million learners in public and private schools — including Philippine Schools Overseas — DepEd anticipates a rise in enrollees following this adjustment.

The nationwide enrollment period for public schools is scheduled for June 9 to 13, 2025, while the official start of classes for School Year 2025–2026 is June 16.

A Nation Building Better Foundations

In a society where education is often seen as the great equalizer, this revised policy resonates beyond the school gates. It signifies a government that listens, adapts, and responds to the real needs of Filipino families.

It’s more than just a change in numbers. It’s a shift in mindset. A recognition that every child deserves a head start, regardless of the date printed on their birth certificate.

And for parents like Ramil — and countless others like him — this is a victory worth celebrating. One that reminds us that the true measure of progress is when even the smallest voices are finally heard, welcomed, and given the tools to dream, learn, and lead.

Bagong Pilipinas, after all, begins with the bagong pag-asa of every Filipino child.

Bayanihan in Full Bloom: Brigada Eskwela 2025 Unites Nation for Education and Literacy

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In the heart of Pasig, inside the vibrant yet aging walls of Oranbo Elementary School, Principal Dr. Victor M. Javeña stands tall—not just as an administrator but as a believer in the power of collective goodwill. As the paint peels from classroom walls and broken doorknobs clatter loosely with every turn, he doesn’t see decay. He sees an opportunity—for change, for collaboration, for bayanihan.

That spirit is the lifeblood of Brigada Eskwela 2025, the Department of Education's (DepEd) flagship community initiative that once again calls upon every Filipino to lend a hand—not just to fix schools, but to fix futures.

This year’s theme, “Sama-sama para sa Bayang Bumabasa”, is a rallying cry that reaches beyond the walls of academia. It urges all sectors—government, business, civic groups, families, and individuals—to come together and rebuild both the physical structures of education and the foundational ability of every Filipino child: the power to read.

A Fresh Coat of Hope

At Oranbo Elementary, the impact of private sector support is already visible—not just in pledges, but in action. Three school buildings are set to receive fresh coats of paint. Broken lights and faulty doorknobs are finally being replaced. Simple as they may seem, these changes ripple outward—brightening not only classrooms but the lives of the children who enter them.

“Malaki ang naitutulong sa ating paaralan ng Brigada Eskwela,” Dr. Javeña said with heartfelt gratitude. “Hindi lamang tuwing Brigada Eskwela kundi maging sa mga regular na araw ay katulong natin ang ating mga partners.”

It is this continuity of support—the idea that bayanihan is not seasonal but perennial—that transforms Brigada Eskwela from an event into a movement.

Building Beyond Brick and Mortar

At Highway Hills Integrated School, Principal Dr. Henry A. Sabidong echoes this sentiment. The generosity of partners has gone far beyond supplying school materials. It has built safer, cleaner, and more nurturing spaces for students—something far more valuable than any donation.

“Higit pa sa kagamitan, ang ibinabahagi natin ay isang maayos na environment at safe na classroom,” Sabidong emphasized. “Nakikita ng mga mag-aaral na ang private sector ay tunay na katuwang namin—hindi lang sa edukasyon kundi sa pagbuo ng isang mabuting komunidad.”

These partnerships don’t merely restore facilities—they restore faith in the system. When children see their communities investing in their education, they don’t just feel supported—they feel seen.

A Call to Action from the Top

Education Secretary Sonny Angara has issued a nationwide call to action for all Filipinos: make Brigada Eskwela 2025 more than a one-time effort—make it a sustained crusade for literacy and learning.

“Brigada Eskwela is more than just fixing the schools,” Angara declared. “It is a bayanihan movement. We invite all education champions and partners to join us not only in refurbishing classrooms but also in building supportive environments that empower every Filipino child to read.”

With the school year 2025–2026 opening on June 16, the window is narrow but the possibilities are wide. DepEd is mobilizing communities across the country to take part in hands-on activities—from storytelling sessions to health assessments, from clean-up drives to reading campaigns.

How You Can Join the Movement

Whether you’re an individual with time to spare or a corporation with resources to share, Brigada Eskwela 2025 offers a wide array of volunteer and partnership opportunities:

Donate: Learning materials, classroom furniture, books, hygiene kits, food packs, and technology tools.

Volunteer: Join classroom painting, minor construction, library organization, and reading sessions.

Advocate: Lead local awareness drives that emphasize the importance of literacy and school readiness.

Collaborate: Align your organization’s CSR initiatives with the needs of public schools.

This isn’t just about helping schools—it’s about making a stand for every Filipino learner, especially those at risk of falling behind in basic literacy.

Bayanihan for a Literate Nation

As we march toward June 16, the classrooms may echo with hammering and sweeping, but soon they will hum with curiosity, laughter, and the rustling of books in the hands of newly empowered readers. Brigada Eskwela 2025 is not just a campaign—it’s a cultural reawakening of shared responsibility, of the belief that no child should ever be left behind because of a broken chair, a leaky roof, or the inability to read.

This is bayanihan at its most meaningful. This is Brigada Eskwela 2025.

And it needs you.

For more information on how to partner or volunteer, contact your nearest DepEd regional office or visit the official DepEd Brigada Eskwela page. Together, let’s build not just classrooms—but a future where every child reads, thrives, and leads.

EcoWaste Coalition Urges Schools: Embrace Certified LED Lights, Safeguard Health from Toxic Mercury Fluorescents During Brigada Eskwela

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

With just days before the nation’s schools once again open their gates for Brigada Eskwela—an annual mobilization of community spirit for school repair, maintenance, and beautification—the EcoWaste Coalition has sounded a clarion call that resonates far beyond the four corners of a classroom. This time, the plea is not just for paint, patchwork, or pails of cleaning solutions, but for a shift in mindset—one that could spell the difference between a safe learning environment and a toxic ticking time bomb.

In a passionate appeal to educators, parents, and community volunteers, EcoWaste Coalition implores the public to “choose light that protects, not light that poisons.” The group is strongly urging schools to replace mercury-laden fluorescent lamps with certified LED lighting, a move that prioritizes both ecological responsibility and human health.

“We urge our schools to pick certified LED lights as they consume less electricity and have a longer lifespan compared to mercury vapor lights,” declared Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition. “Certified products comply with the quality and safety standards of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), ensuring that our classrooms remain sanctuaries of safety—not silent sources of harm.”

The Mercury Menace in Schools

While fluorescent lamps have long illuminated the nation’s learning spaces, few realize the invisible danger they harbor. Contained within their glass tubes is mercury vapor, a potent neurotoxin that can escape into the air when these lamps break—a frighteningly common occurrence in busy school settings.

The EcoWaste Coalition’s sobering publication, “The Toxic Silence of the Lamps,” exposes this invisible threat. The report states:

“Inhalation is the typical exposure route for mercury released from lighting products. Dermal contact with mercury-contaminated phosphor powder can also affect individuals handling broken lamps, and cause the spread of contamination.”

In layman's terms, that seemingly harmless busted light bulb in the school janitor’s closet could quietly be releasing a vapor that affects cognitive function, respiratory health, and the nervous system—especially in children, who are more vulnerable to environmental toxins.

Symptoms of Mercury Exposure: A Silent Epidemic

Once released into the air, mercury vapors can lead to a host of disturbing symptoms:

Cough

Headaches

Shortness of breath

Lethargy

Tremors

Nausea and vomiting

Diarrhea

Increased salivation

Worse still, many exposed may never realize they’re being poisoned—until the damage is done.

The occupational health risks are even more severe for custodians, waste handlers, and volunteers involved in the disposal of these lamps—particularly when done without proper protection or knowledge. “Bare hands and exposed faces have no place in mercury waste handling,” the Coalition warned gravely.

Don’t Just Replace—Dispose Responsibly

EcoWaste’s campaign doesn’t end with switching bulbs. It also champions the safe management of busted fluorescent lamps, urging schools not to break, burn, or dump these hazardous items.

In Quezon City, for instance, Ordinance No. 2350 (Series of 2014)—better known as the Environment Code—categorizes used fluorescent lamps as hazardous waste. It mandates that:

Residents must not mix mercury-laden bulbs with regular trash.

Busted lamps and used batteries should be delivered to the Barangay Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) for temporary storage.

Businesses and commercial establishments are required to partner with DENR-accredited waste management firms for proper hazardous waste disposal.

These are not mere bureaucratic instructions—they are lifelines of environmental and human safety.

Why Certified LED Is the Light of the Future

The Coalition is also cautioning against the temptation of cheap, counterfeit LED products that flood the market. These may not only be substandard in performance but could pose fire, electrical, and safety risks. Consumers are encouraged to look for products with the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker or Philippine Standard (PS) mark, which guarantees compliance with DTI standards.

“Rejecting counterfeit LEDs and embracing certified ones is a step toward a safer, greener, and more sustainable learning environment,” Lucero emphasized. “It’s a legacy of light and responsibility we must pass on to the next generation.”

A Bright Choice for a Brighter Future

As hammers pound, paint dries, and brooms sweep through the halls of learning this Brigada Eskwela, may our schools not just be rebuilt—but reborn. Let every bulb replaced with a certified LED and every busted fluorescent disposed of properly stand as a testament to a collective promise:

To light the minds of the future without darkening their health.

The EcoWaste Coalition has thrown down the gauntlet. The challenge now rests in the hands of schools, communities, and government—will they heed the call?

For more information on the safe disposal of hazardous lighting waste and lists of certified LED products, contact your local DENR office or visit the EcoWaste Coalition’s official page.