Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Secretary of Education Sonny Angara led the distribution of learning supplies and school bags from the Quezon City LGU to the students of Commonwealth Elementary School in Quezon City.
Secretary Angara expressed his gratitude for the support of the Quezon City local government in the Brigada Eskwela initiative and its continued commitment to education.

The Brigada Eskwela event held this Saturday at Bagong Silangan High School saw significant participation from various government officials, spearheaded by the Schools Division Office of Quezon City.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara graced the occasion, alongside notable personalities including QC Mayor Joy Belmonte, Congressman Ralph Tulfo, Councilor Aly Medalla, MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes, DepEd Usec. Revsee Escobedo, and Regional Director Joyce Andaya. Their collective presence underscored the importance of the initiative aimed at preparing schools for the upcoming academic year.

A significant highlight of the event was the signing of the Pledge of Commitment by the attending officials. This symbolic act reinforced their unwavering support for the education sector and their dedication to fostering a nurturing environment for learners.

The Schools Division Office of Quezon City’s leadership and coordination were crucial in the success of the Brigada Eskwela. Their efforts, combined with the support of local officials and the community, exemplify the collective commitment to enhancing the educational landscape in Quezon City. As schools prepare to welcome students back this July, the spirit of cooperation and dedication demonstrated during Brigada Eskwela serves as a beacon of hope for a brighter educational future.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the strength and hope of the Filipino spirit as the Philippines celebrated its 126th Independence Day on June 12. In his speech, he emphasized the true essence of freedom and the hardworking nature of Filipinos amidst daily challenges. "The theme may be generic, but one cannot deny the relativity that comes from being a Filipino and witnessing the legitimate fight of the Filipino spirit in everyone that acts fairly in their daily lives,” Marcos said. 

He paid tribute to hardworking farmers, dedicated teachers, and brave soldiers, commemorating the historic declaration of independence in Kawit, Cavite, 126 years ago. “A century and a quarter ago, we freed ourselves from the bonds of oppression, and the fire of nationalism still glows unabated in each one of us. Today, we proudly continue to hold in our hands the freedom won at such a great price by our ancestors,” he added. 

The celebration began with a flag-raising ceremony at Luneta Park, led by President Marcos and attended by prominent personalities. Their presence underscored the collective effort needed to achieve this significant milestone. Notable attendees were Dr. Ederlina D. Balena, Dr. Leonilo C. Angeles, Dr. Isabelle S. Sibayan and Dr. Carleen S. Sedilla from the Schools Division Office of Quezon City, and Director Joyce Andaya from the Department of Education National Capital Region (DepEd NCR). Their presence signifies a united commitment to preserving and building upon the vision of the nation’s Founding Fathers.

The ceremonies included a wreath-laying to honor the heroes who fought for Philippine independence. This year’s celebration not only commemorated June 12 but also highlighted the contributions of everyday heroes in various fields who continue to strive for independence in their daily lives. President Marcos’s speech and the presence of honored guests underscored that Independence Day is not just a historical event but also a living testament to our enduring struggle for freedom. It is a day to reflect on the ongoing fight for liberty and rights in modern society, celebrating the invincible spirit of the Filipino people.

This year, Quezon City celebrated the Philippines’ 126th Independence Day at the Quezon City Hall with brevity. The occasion under the theme “Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan” remembered the contributors to Filipino liberation as well as contemplated on the country’s progress and possibility. Leading the celebration and the wreath-laying at the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal were Mr. Eric Zerrudo, Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Mayor Joy Belmonte, along with city officials. 

Representatives from various sectors, including the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines- Quezon City, 7th Quezon City Veterans District, QC Police District, Division of City Schools, showed their support for the event. Mr. Guillermo Nikus Telan and Mrs. Miramel Jane Andes proudly represented the Schools Division Office of Quezon City.

The celebration this year has reminded residents of Quezon City about Filipino heroism and recall its commitment on focusing on the importance of unity to pay tribute to our heritage.

Col. Francel Margareth Padilla Taborlupa, the first female spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, dellivered an inspirational message at the Schools Division Office Quezon City's launching of its 2024 National Women's Month celebration during the flag raising ceremony on March 4, 2024. Her message encouraged the audience, the women especially, to break ceilings, be persons of value, and mentors, no matter how challenging it is to be in a male-dominated world.

Col. Taborlupa, one of the ASEAN's top cyber security development practitioner, described herself as a simple provincial girl who was not a stranger to male-dominated realms. Firstly, she was the only girl among 4 siblings. She also started her tertiary education at the University of Sto. Tomas in the College of Engineering, another field dominated by men. Her older brother, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent Engr. Marc Voltaire A. Padilla, then pushed her into taking the qualifying examinations for entry into the prestigious Philippine Military Academy - still another bastion of the males.

Her experiences have helped shape her into the woman she is now, a foremost expert in cyber security, a pioneer in the 4th domain of operations in the AFP - the cyber realm. She has placed the Philippines on the global map of cyber security through her project named Cyber for Peace Initiative, which among other things enables the gathering of data in the field for accurate input for research in various fields, thereby contributing to learning and nation building.

The Project 6 Elementary School Robotics Team ranked 3rd Overall and 1st Place in Robot Design at the 13th FIRST LEGO League Philippines 2024 (National Level) competition held on February 17, 2024. The win qualifies the team to compete at the FIRST Lego League Florida Sunshine 2024 in the United States of America.

Dr. Ma. Pilar O. Capalongan, Education Program Supervisor for Science, presented the winning team to SDOQC employees at the Flag Raising Ceremony on February 26, 2024.

The team was composed of learners Andrea M. Faldas, Jhyliane Jerica Tan, Elijah Ismael N. Manuel, Adam Ezekiel S. Emballa, Lucian Jarred L. Magallanes, Rafael Joseph A. Agustin, Kristoff Romano M. Mosqueda, Charles Jacob E. Pascual, Francis Mikhail V. Venacio, and Sellyne Rhian Palapar.

They were coached by Project 6 ES mentors Ms. Shiela S. Roa and Mr. Ariel D. Tiauson.

SDOQC congratulates the learners, teachers, and school administration led by Dr. Josefina A. Almarez, parents, and other stakeholders who continue to support the budding engineers and Robotics experts of Quezon City.

Tunay ngang Batang QC, Maipagmamalaki!

In response to the results of the National Achievement Test (NAT) for SY 2022-2023, Schools Division Superintendent Ms. Carleen S. Sedilla, CESO V, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent for Secondary Schools Mr. Fredie V. Avendano, CESE, and Asst. Schools Division Superintendent for Elementary Schools, Engr. Marc Voltaire A. Padilla, CESE, gave insightful and motivational suggestions to school heads to aid in their preparations for the upcoming NAT for Grades 6 (for administration to Grade 7 learners) and 12 during the SDOQC Emergency Management Committee meeting at Ponciano  Bernardo Elementary School on February 22, 2024.

For the short term, top management suggested that the schools ensure the psychological preparedness of both learners and teachers. To do this, the whole school community must be led to view the NAT as a collective responsibility, a burden to be carried by all. Learners' mindset specially, should be addressed so that they become aware of the importance of doing their best in the NAT, not only for extrinsic reward such as grades, but for the intrinsic value of doing one's best for the sake of their alma mater. It was also suggested that physical factors be looked into, such as the conditions in the testing venues and provision of water and snacks to test takers when needed.

Another recommendation was the conduct of a mock test, to ensure that learners are familiar with the use of bubble sheets and proper shading to indicate their answers, among other things. The Curriculum Implementation Division is taking the lead in this effort, releasing Division Memorandum No. 219, s, 2024 to guide the schools through the tasks that need to be done to ensure the conduct of the mock test on March 6, 2024.

For the long term, SDS Cedilla suggested several steps to improve performance, namely: focus on teaching, learning, and assessment; ensure deliverables; intensify monitoring, supervision, mentoring and coaching; assess and capacitate teachers; focus on foundational skills; track student progrress (e.g. through looping); simplify research processes on root cause/gap anaylysis of poor performance; and make all stakeholders responsible and accountable.

DepEd NCR Regional Director Jocelyn DR. Andaya was the guest of honor at the Emergency Management Committee meeting of the Schools Division of Quezon City held at Ponciano Bernardo Elementary School on February 22, 2024. Director Andaya gave the participants, composed of SDO top management, supervisors, unit heads, school heads, and education specialists, three gentle but firm reminders on issues that are noticeably besetting schools and all of which should be addressed as they fall under the priority areas of the region.

The first reminder was on the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of school facilities, including rest rooms. She emphaszied that most of NCR's learners can experience clean rest rooms and pleasant surroundings only in the schools and that this, therefore, is part and parcel of their education. She reiterated that cleanliness is the beginning of the provision of a learner-centered environment, one of the five priorities of the region for the next three years. 

Her second reminder centered on the alarming rise of cases of teenage pregnancy and sexual abuse among the region's learners. She enjoined the division and school officials to look into this and lay down appropriate measures to address the root causes of and needs arising from such cases.

Lastly, Dr. Andaya advised the body to leverage the support of the Local Government Unit of Quezon City to address these isseus and other concerns of the schools.

Civil Service Committee Director Hans R. Alcantara conferred the Bronze Award (Maturity Level 2) of the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) to the Schools Division Office Quezon City during simple rites at the Special Management Committee meeting on January 17, 2024. Director Alcantara drove all the way to the Traveler's Hotel in SBMA, Subic Bay, Olongapo, to personally hand over the Bronze Award to Schools Division Superintendent Ms. Carleen S. Sedilla, CESO V, during the Special ManCom that had been scheduled to fit into the then-ongoing SOB Finalization and Budget Monitoring Workshop for elementary and secondary school principals at the said venue. Among the benefits stated in the CSC resolution read out by Director Alcantara is that SDOQC now has the authority to take final action on appointments.

In her response, Ms. Sedilla recognized the role of teamwork across the Division in reaching this milestone in the agency's history. She also gave credit to the previous Superintendents who had begun and continued the long haul towards this achievement: Dr. Elizabeth E. Quesada, Dr. Natividad P. Bayubay, and Dr. Jenilyn Rose B. Corpuz. 

An agency with HRM Processes at Maturity Level 2 practices a Process-Defined HRM. This means that the agency already has a set of defined and documented SOPs established but still needing improvement. Furthermore, the agency is characterized iby purposeful decision-making. There is also some automated system but little integration of data.