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Sunday, March 07, 2004
Dgte unsafe for students: Anak Bayan
By Hermie B. Tresquio
ANAK Bayan-Negros Oriental expressed alarm over the increasing crime incidents here warning that if these will continue, Dumaguete City will become unsafe to students and youths.
The militant youth group cited the killing of businessman Conrado Cabauatan in Pulantubig and tour operator Joel Pino in Tabuc-Tubig last month.
The university town was shaken by the series of killings, hold-ups and cell phone snatchings in and out of the campus.
"If police authorities and the local government cannot neutralize this situation, Duamguete City will no longer be a conductive place for youth and students," said Roy Danieles, Anak Bayan povincial coordinator.
Danieles warned that unless these incidents are checked, students and innocent civilians would be the next probable victims of roaming criminals who remain free.
He stressed the rising crime incidents in the city cannot be solved by police action alone, but by taking concrete steps to address the problem of poverty that is allegedly pushing people to commit illegal activities.
"The rising criminality only shows that the State failed to prioritize job generation, livelihood projects and social services that will respond to the worsening crisis of unemployment and the high cost of living today," Danieles added.
Meanwhile, the youth organization urged local candidates to include education and job generation to their agenda in the 2004 election.
It said that although Dumaguete City is dubbed a university town, many of the city youth are not part of the academic institutions and are on the streets to earn a living instead.
Anak Bayan said out-of-school youths are the most vulnerable to anti-social activities like drugs use, prostitution and pre-marital sex.
"The local government must have a program for the basic rights of the youth for free education, decent employment and an agenda that will get the youth free from drugs addiction, decadent culture and uncertainties of society," the group said.
It added that imposing curfew is not the answer to youth vagrancy, but resolving its root cause is.
(March 7, 2004 issue)
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