The Glow

04/10/2026

✨ CABATUAN NCHS GLOWS BRIGHTER AT CSPC 2026

A remarkable chapter unfolds for THE GLOW as our English category campus journalists deliver an impressive performance at the 3rd Congressional District Secondary Schools Press Conference held on October 3, 2026 at Pototan National Comprehensive High School.

🏅 WINNERS:

📰 COPYREADING & HEADLINE WRITING
🥇 1st Place: Gianne Michael S. Demaosa — 12-Apollo
🏅 4th Place: Cassey Lee M. Elerio — 12-Aphrodite
🏅 6th Place: Marielle Alexa Gallana — 11-Aquarius
Coach: Catherine L. Dapulaza

📝 EDITORIAL WRITING
🥈 2nd Place: Shai Ashly Cole Caspe — 12-Ares
🏅 7th Place: Alex Kriel Noquez — 11-Auriga
🏅 8th Place: Zara Loewe Doyola — 9-Lavoisier
Coach: JD Phoebus J. Aguas

📸 PHOTOJOURNALISM
🥈 2nd Place: Ma. Francine Taleon — 12-Aphrodite
🏅 6th Place: Renneth Paul Delicano — 11-Andromeda
Coach: Alfie B. Gonzales

📰 NEWS WRITING
🥈 2nd Place: Precious Ariella Severino — 8-Aristotle
🏅 14th Kixlee Dane Formon — 12-Dionysus
Coach: Catherine L. Dapulaza

💻 COLLABORATIVE DESKTOP PUBLISHING
🥉 3rd Place — Overall
📰 3rd Best News Page
📝 2nd Best Editorial Page
✍️ 3rd Best Feature Page
🎨 3rd Best Layout
Members: Julianne Rose Abrielle Bero, Ahlea Princess Librando, Mary Anthonyth Plaza, Edmerl Nhic Tiongson, Zendrex John Dote, Doreen Camacho, and Ayesha Faye Albo
👨‍🏫 Coach: Joey E. Amaquin

✍️ FEATURE WRITING
🏅 4th Place: Zea Mays Biyo — 12-Aphrodite
🏅 8th Place: Rhianna Nicole Aguilar — 12-Apollo
🏅 11th Place: Steve Matthew Baldeviso — 10-Archimedes
Coach: Patrick Philip P. Casianan

🔬 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY WRITING
🏅 4th Place: Theianese Armielle Pavia — 8-Descartes
Coach: Joey E. Amaquin

🎨 EDITORIAL CARTOONING
🏅 10th Place: Rick Ian Jambongana — 7-Euclid
🏅 20th Place: Aebrel Xyre Aranda — 9-Lilac
Coach: Alfie B. Gonzales

📱 MOBILE JOURNALISM
🏅 10th Yiensce Marish Ortega — 8-Justice
🏅 18th Jamella Aliaa Montaño — 9-Pythagoras
Coach: Patrick Philip P. Casianan

🥊SPORTS WRITING
🏅 11th Eunice Piñero — 12-Ares
Coach: Imee E. Villarina

🏆 ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR CNCHS
With 544 points, Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School placed 3rd Overall Best Performing School – Category A. 🥉

Congratulations to all our participants and school paper advisers!👏🏼

To our 25 Division qualifiers, campus journalists, and dedicated coaches: carry the stories, dreams, and pride of CNCHS with you.

The district stage was only the beginning.
✨ NOW, LET THE GLOW SHINE AT THE DSPC!

27/06/2026

05/06/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗦 𝗡𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
🖊️𝑩𝒚 𝑹𝒉𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝑵𝒊𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝑴. 𝑨𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒓

Brigada, a word derived from brigade which means a group of people organized for voluntary effort. But through the gates of Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School during Brigada Eskwela ‘26, the word transcends its simple meaning and becomes something more profound. In CNCHS, it is a passionate community with a shared mission: to make CNCHS an empowering and clean environment where students can thrive. As the fourth day of the Brigada Eskwela ‘26 unravels, a unified effort from community stakeholders, volunteer groups and school club members tackled that mission.

Every great structure requires a secure foundation. At CNCHS, that foundation is laid by its own core community stakeholders. The School Parent-Teacher Association (SPSTA), the Local Government Unit (LGU), the Supreme Secondary Learner Government (SSLG), and community partners form the leading drive of it all. They bring years of practical wisdom among the campus. In bustling corners of the school, local stakeholders huddle over broken chairs, meticulously repairing worn down desks to ensure comfort and safety for the upcoming school year. Their contribution isn’t just manual labor; it is an investment for the children of tomorrow. Through their sustained efforts to develop the physical structure of the school, they cultivate a sense of trust and responsibility.

If stakeholders provide the foundation, school club members bring the vibrant energy of campaign. Driven by their own advocacies and humble ambition to bring vitality and wholeness to the school, members of clubs and school organizations traded their vacation days with brooms and rags. The Red Cross Youth (CNCHS council), Boy Scouts of the Philippines, Girl Scouts of the Philippines, The Glow staffers, KaMagFil club members, Ang Sinag staffers, Batang Empowered Resilient Team (BERT), Yes-O members, Barkada Kontra Droga (BKD) club members, Kabataang Pambansang Samahan sa Edukasyon ng Pagpakatao (KPSEP)— these club members echoed the rhythmic scratching of the broom against soil and dried leaves, pressed old ragged clothes against windows and heaved stacks of old papers. For these club members, it isn’t a chore; it is an act of pride. They actively shape a clean environment where their peers could prosper.

Then comes the external volunteer groups— civic organizations, alumni networks and local alliances who have no daily classes, yet show up anyway. Their unending support and presence elevates the essence of Brigada Eskela ‘26, from a simple school task to an advocacy that nurtures education. With the heavy sloshing of paint in metal cans, these volunteer teams stand shoulder-to-shoulder with school staff, repainting worn down walls with new colors that stand as a canvas for dreams and hope. This unspoken solidarity serves as a beautiful reminder that education is not the sole responsibility of the school, but a shared calling that pulls outsiders in to serve a greater purpose.

At the end of the day, when the classrooms are ornate, the landscapes swept clean and the walls are painted anew, the cacophony of laughter settles down to a sigh of relief, CNCHS stands tall. But the truest nature of Brigada Eskwela ‘26 cannot be found in the brandished furniture or fresh paint. It will be felt when the school doors open, and students walk into an empowering space built on the love and devotion of a community that refuse to leave them behind.

| 𝙵𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎

05/06/2026

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗘𝘀𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗮
🖊️𝐵𝑦 𝑉𝑦𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛 𝐿𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒 𝐶. 𝐶𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜

Before the school gates open to thousands of learners, teachers and school personnel have already begun the extensive task of preparing classrooms and facilities for the new academic year.These efforts often happen quietly and without recognition, yet they are essential to ensuring that schools are ready for the opening of classes.

This reality reflects a hidden side of Brigada Eskwela 2026, which carries the theme "Bayanihan sa Paaralan: Nagkakaisa para sa Kaayusan at Kaalaman." The program symbolizes unity and collective responsibility, encouraging communities to work together in creating safe and conducive learning environments. However, behind this inspiring vision lies a significant amount of labor performed by teachers and school staff-that often goes unnoticed, uncompensated, and unrecorded.

Brigada Eskwela was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 8525 to promote community participation in maintaining and improving public schools. While volunteers contribute valuable support, operational responsibilities such as planning, procurement, coordination, documentation, and post-activity management largely remain in the hands of school personnel. Available education sector reports indicate that a substantial portion of preparatory work is completed by teachers and staff, raising concerns about whether the burden of school readiness is being shared equitably.

According to workload assessments conducted within the education sector, many public school teachers render additional hours beyond their regular duties during the months leading to school opening. These extra responsibilities increase further during Brigada Eskwela activities. Despite the additional workload, existing policies generally provide limited opportunities for overtime compensation or equivalent benefits. Furthermore, numerous teachers and non-teaching personnel report spending personal funds on supplies, materials, and refreshments for volunteers, effectively contributing their own resources to support school operations.

Beyond the financial burden, these additional responsibilities can affect educators' ability to focus on their primary role — teaching. Official Civil Service Commission job descriptions identify teachers as instructional professionals, while non-teaching staff are assigned administrative and support functions. Yet during preparation periods, many personnel devote significant time to maintenance, logistics, repairs, and project management. As a result, valuable time that could be spent on lesson preparation, instructional improvement, and learner support is reduced.

The effects extend beyond workload statistics. Extended working hours may contribute to fatigue, stress, and professional burnout among educators. When teachers are required to divide their attention between instructional responsibilities and extensive operational tasks, the quality of preparation for classroom instruction may suffer. Ultimately, the impact reaches not only school personnel but also the learners whom the education system seeks to serve.

Supporters of the current Brigada Eskwela model emphasize that the program embodies the Filipino spirit of bayanihan and has successfully mobilized communities to improve school facilities nationwide. Indeed, the program has enabled schools to receive much-needed assistance despite budget limitations, and the contributions of volunteers remain invaluable. Community participation continues to be a powerful tool in strengthening public education.

However, recognizing the value of volunteerism should not prevent discussions about fairness and sustainability of volunteer-driven school initiatives such as the Brigada Eskwela. True bayanihan thrives when responsibilities are shared equitably to everyone. When teachers and school personnel consistently shoulder the majority of organizational, financial, and operational responsibilities, the system risks becoming dependent on their unpaid labor rather than on adequate institutional support.

Brigada Eskwela 2026's vision of unity, order, and knowledge remains both admirable and necessary. Yet achieving this vision should not require educators and school staff to bear disproportionate sacrifices year after year. Ensuring adequate funding, sufficient personnel, proper workload distribution, and appropriate compensation is not merely a matter of employee welfare—it is an investment in the quality and sustainability of public education itself.

Bayanihan is strongest when responsibility is shared equitably. To truly honor the spirit of Brigada Eskwela, the education system must recognize, support, and fairly value the individuals whose unseen efforts make school readiness possible. Education cannot be sustained by sacrifice alone; it must also be upheld through adequate institutional support, resources, and justice. True progress in education is achieved when care for learners is matched with equal regard and protection for those who serve them.

| 𝙴𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕

05/06/2026

The week of Brigada Eskwela 2026 may have formally closed, but its spirit continues to thrive. These voices reflect the bayanihan that prepared our school—and the shared commitment that carries on beyond the program. Support remains welcome throughout the school year.

📸Photo Credits: 𝑹𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒂𝒖𝒍 𝑫𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐
🖱️Layout: 𝑴𝒂. 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒐𝒏

05/06/2026

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗘𝘀𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗮 2026 𝗬𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗣714𝗞, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗦 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲
🖊️𝐵𝑦 𝒀𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒄𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑪. 𝑶𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒂

𝘊𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘯, 𝘐𝘭𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘰 — 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘦 5, 2026
Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School (CNCHS) officially concluded its week-long Brigada Eskwela 2026 through a Closing Program held on June 5, recognizing the efforts of teachers, volunteers, organizations, and stakeholders who helped prepare the school for the upcoming school year.

Held from June 1 to June 5, 2026, this year’s Brigada Eskwela carried the theme “Bayanihan sa Paaralan: Nagkakaisa Para sa Kaayusan at Kaalaman.” The activity focused on repairing and repainting classrooms and improving school facilities to provide learners with a safe and conducive learning environment.

During the program, the school acknowledged the contributions of 143 teachers and staff, 16 school organizations, 14 representatives from the private sector, 244 club members, and 3,727 volunteers who participated in various clean-up and improvement activities since May 31 to June 4.

The school also reported that a total of ₱714,329 worth of donated goods and value of services was generated through donations and volunteer efforts, showing the strong support of the community for quality education.

One of the highlights of the closing program was the recognition of the Supreme Secondary Learner Government (SSLG) for its “Peso Sale” project. Through the initiative, students were able to purchase school necessities such as shoes, socks, and uniforms for only ₱1.

In addition, through SSLG's "Balik Handog sa Balik Eskwela" Project, school supplies were distributed to 30 beneficiaries from different grade levels to help them get set for the opening of classes.

The closing program served as a reminder of the importance of unity and cooperation in achieving a common goal. Through the collective efforts of teachers, learners, parents, volunteers, and stakeholders, CNCHS successfully completed another meaningful Brigada Eskwela.

As the activity came to an end, the school expressed its gratitude to everyone who contributed their time, effort, and resources, proving that the spirit of bayanihan remains alive in the CNCHS community and will continue even beyond the school opening week.

📸Photo Credits: 𝑹𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒂𝒖𝒍 𝑫𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐

05/06/2026

𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀: 𝘉𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?
🖊️𝐵𝑦 𝐽𝑎𝑛 𝑆𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐿𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑜

Freshly painted walls, repaired desks, and cleaned classrooms often signal the beginning of another school year. Through Brigada Eskwela, communities unite to prepare schools, reflecting the deeply rooted Filipino spirit of bayanihan. Parents volunteer their time, teachers work beyond their duties, and students lend helping hands, all in the name of creating a better learning environment. Yet beneath these visible improvements lies an uncomfortable question: are communities helping schools thrive, or merely helping them survive?

Brigada Eskwela undeniably showcases unity and shared responsibility. Schools become cleaner and more welcoming, proving that education is not solely the concern of teachers and administrators but of the community as a whole. However, behind the freshly painted walls are realities often left unseen, overcrowded classrooms, shortages of learning materials, damaged facilities, and limited access to resources. While volunteer efforts may temporarily improve school conditions, they cannot fully resolve long-standing educational challenges.

This concern becomes even more pressing considering the government’s significant investment in education. The Department of Education received a landmark allocation of PhP961.3 billion for its 2026 budget, while the entire Philippine education sector reached a historic PHP 1.35 trillion in funding, accounting for over 4% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). With such a substantial budget, many are left asking: Why do schools still depend heavily on donations, volunteer labor, and community-driven repairs to meet basic needs?

The answer is not to diminish Brigada Eskwela or the generosity of volunteers. Their efforts deserve recognition and appreciation. Rather, the question lies in whether volunteerism is gradually becoming a substitute for what adequate and efficient educational funding should already provide. Bayanihan should strengthen schools, not compensate for gaps that proper planning, maintenance, and budget implementation are meant to address.

Brigada Eskwela should remain a celebration of community spirit, not an annual necessity born from insufficient resources. Volunteerism is admirable, but quality education should never rely on charity alone. After all, while communities can help build classrooms, the responsibility to sustain a strong educational system ultimately rests on the institutions entrusted to provide it.

| 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚖𝚗

05/06/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁
🖊️𝑩𝒚 𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂𝒉 𝑨. 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒂

A tiny amount of water inside a bottle cap may not seem to be dangerous at all, yet it could hold 100 to 300 eggs of mosquitoes. Imagine what they could do inside a large water-filled bottle. Across many communities and even in school settings, improperly disposed of waste creates countless water-holding sites for mosquitoes to breed. And if these problems are not given a solution, diseases such as dengue, malaria and more may increase.

Waste management is the process of collecting, segregating, recycling and properly disposing of waste to protect public health and the environment. Eliminating water-collecting waste and maintaining clean surroundings plays a vital role in reducing mosquito breeding and protecting public health.

Proper disposal of water-collecting waste is essential in preventing diseases, especially in school and community areas. Cups, plastics, bottles, cans, buckets, old tires, even a small-sized bottle cup or any waste where it can collect rainwater should be properly disposed of by spilling the water and put in their respective trash bins. Even in small amounts of stagnant water, a mosquito can complete its life cycle, so properly disposing of waste is a big help in preventing mosquito breeding. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Aedes mosquitoes can lay their eggs in small water-filled containers such as cups, bowls, tires and other objects that hold water, and can develop from egg to adult in as little as 7 to 10 days.

Maintaining clean surroundings in schools and communities is also one of the things to do to prevent diseases. This helps to minimize the accumulation of waste that could contribute to mosquito breeding. Clean up drives, proper garbage collection, segregation of waste and maintenance of drainage can reduce stagnant water and remove potential breeding grounds.

Through this we could limit the population of mosquitoes and also decrease the diseases we could contract from them. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), properly disposing of solid waste and removing artificial habitats that can hold water are important ways to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and spreading diseases such as dengue.

There are a lot of ways we could prevent disease through waste management in schools and communities. Proper disposal of water-collecting waste and maintaining clean surroundings are just a few of them. Through this Brigada Eskwela ’26 kicks off and as the new school year begins in school, let us also do our best in preventing mosquito breeding through proper waste management. Even if it is just a small water bottle, it should be placed straight into the trash bin because something that might look harmless can quietly become a habitat without us noticing.

| 𝚂𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚢

01/06/2026

𝗖𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗦 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗘𝘀𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗮 '26
🖊️𝑩𝒚 𝑲𝒊𝒙𝒍𝒆𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝑳. 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏

𝘊𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘯, 𝘐𝘭𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘰 — 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘦 1, 2026
To ensure that learners return to a safe, clean, and conducive learning environment when classes resume, Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School (CNCHS) formally launched Brigada Eskwela 2026 through an Opening Program on June 1 at school’s covered gym, gathering internal and external stakeholders, local officials, and school club members to prepare the campus for the new school year.

Additionally, the kickoff program marked the beginning of the school's participation in the Department of Education’s annual Brigada Eskwela campaign that bears the theme, "Bayanihan sa Paaralan: Nagkakaisa para sa Kaayusan at Kaalaman." This promotes volunteerism and community involvement in improving public school facilities and quality of learning.

Brigada Eskwela activities are expected to continue throughout the preparation period from June 1-5, 2026 with volunteers undertaking classroom cleaning, minor repairs, landscaping, and other maintenance works to ensure school readiness for the incoming academic year.

During the program, school officials presented the objectives and mechanics of Brigada Eskwela 2026, the declaration of messages of support by the internal stakeholders, and a ceremonial signing of the pledge of commitment was also conducted as part of the activity.

Furthermore, the program also included the turnover of School Parent-Teacher Association (SPTA) projects for School Year 2025–2026, recognizing the organization’s contribution to the improvement of school facilities and support for school programs.

CNCHS continues the tradition of being one of the most supported resource mobilizers in the Schools Division of Iloilo for many years including its being adjudged as First Runner-up, Brigada Eskwela Best Implementing Schools (Mega Schools Category) in 2022.

📸 Photo Credits: 𝑴𝒂. 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒐𝒏