Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte stressed the significance of the anti-insurgency program to keep the Davao Region free from insurgents.
Speaking before the officials of the local government units (LGUs), education sector, police, military, peace players, and the Office of the Presidential Assistance to Eastern Mindanao during the Joint Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC 11) Meeting at the Apo View Hotel in Davao City on Wednesday, the vice president said anti-insurgency programs determine the future of the cities, municipalities and the children.
“I cannot over-emphasize the importance of your anti-insurgency programs in your respective agencies and offices. It will determine the future of our cities, municipalities, and the future of our children. Totoo yung sinasabi namin sa DepEd meron talagang recruitment na nangyayari lalong lalo na sa Indigenous People youth ng mga supposedly dapat learners who are inside the schools, who are under DepEd,” Duterte said.
Last year, DepEd pronounced that there is New People’s Army (NPA) recruitment in some schools in the country.
“Humihingi din kami ng tulong ninyo para ma-protektahan ang kabataan natin at mapanegurado na sila ay nasa loob ng paaralan at sila ay makapagtapos ng pag-aaral,” Duterte said.
She said it’s not because the Davao Region has been declared insurgency-free there won’t be any problems anymore.
“Hindi dahil ang Davao Region ay na-declare na insurgency free ay wala na tayong problema dahil anytime, any issue, any complaints na puwedeng sakyan o puwedeng i-utilize ng CPP-NPA-NDF diyan sa mga communities will spark movements agad again sa kanila dinha sa ilang kalihukan,” Duterte said.
Duterte said joint meetings are important to discuss what should be done to protect the peace in the Davao Region.
The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC 11) officially declared the entire region insurgency-free on October 12, 2022.
Meanwhile, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Secretary Leo Tereso Magno facilitated the presentation of updates and concerns of the different sectors during the said meeting.
Magno, who is also the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Southern Mindanao, said it is his job to monitor and collate all the ideas presented in the meeting.
He underscored that putting developments to undeveloped areas in Davao Region will help maintain peace and order in the region.
“Yun ang ating responsibilidad na seguraduhin and lahat ng programa na dapat i-implement. Kanina diniscuss ng iba’t ibang ahensiya na merong naka line-up na mga projects in Davao Region. Gumagalaw ang lahat na yan at trabaho natin na-i-ensure na tuloy tuloy ang pag develop sa mga lugar na kung saan hindi developed dati, kaya yung mga tao hindi nila ramdam yung presensiya ng gobyerno. So yung mga tao humahanap sila ng avenue like sa pagsali ng Communist Terrorist Groups,” he said.
Magno also said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sees putting developments in the countryside as one of the ideal approaches to counter-insurgency.
“Kailangan ituloy natin ang developments in the countryside para yung tao hindi na naghahanap ng gobyerno at hindi na naghahanap ng gulo,” he said.
