VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte is asking for help to protect the school children so they would not be easily recruited by the New People's Army (NPA).
Duterte said in her speech during the Joint Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (Elcac)-Davao Region Meeting on Wednesday, February 28 that all the stories that the Department of Education (DepEd) concerning the recruitment of children in far-flung barangays, particularly the youth of the indigenous peoples, are true.
“Kaya humihingi rin kami ng tulong para maprotektahan ang kabataan natin at mapanigurado na sila ay nasa loob ng paaralan at sila ay makapagtapos ng pag-aaral (That is why we are asking for your help in protecting our children and ensure that they are inside schools and finish their studies),” Duterte said on Thursday, February 28, 20224, at the Apo View Hotel.
She added that it does not mean that since the Davao Region was declared insurgency-free last October 12, 2022, there are no longer problems concerning insurgency. This, as she revealed that any complaints by the far-flung communities may be utilized by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) to spark movements.
Shen then stressed the importance of joint meetings as an avenue to discuss the steps needed to maintain peace in the region.
Meanwhile, Davao del Norte Governor Edwin I. Jubahib said during a media interview that the Elcac program of former President Rodrigo Duterte has helped solve the problems caused by insurgencies and that the people of the region are working on sustaining peace.
“Diri sa Mindanao sigurado nga ang tanan mutrabaho para ma-sustain ang atoang gain as insurgency free Region 11 (Here in the Mindanao I am sure that everybody is willing to work to sustain the gains as an insurgency-free region),” he said.
Jubahib is hopeful that the current administration would prioritize the promised benefits for the former rebels so they would no longer be vulnerable in recruitment to regroup the CPP-NPA-NDFA. He also said that through the benefits, the government could easily convince other rebels to surrender to the government.
“Ang kanang naa pa sa bukid nga nagpadayon pa, wala pa musurender mas ma-convince nato sila, dali nato sila nga ma-convince nga mubalik-loob na sa gobyerno ug mahimo nato nga friend rescued tungod kay very promising ang gobyerno nga mutubag sa tanan nga atoang gi-promise sa ilaha (Those who are still in the mountains who are still continuing their operation and have not surrendered would be convinced, we could easily convince them to surrender to the government and they would be our friend rescued because our government makes do its promises),” he said. RGP
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