The military here believe that education is a vital tool in risk reduction of NPA recruitment in the region. The youth sector, especially in urban and lowland areas, is more vulnerable to NPA recruitment and this has been repeatedly evidenced by the arrests of a good number of suspected activists that law enforcers believe to have links to the underground movement.
While poverty is a major factor of recruitment of children
and minors up in the mountains, their counterparts living in the lowlands are
more likely prone to recruitment due to idealism and deceit. To counter the
activities of the NPA’s “front organizations” in the urban and lowland areas,
the Army’s 87th Infantry Battalion embarked on massive and sustained education,
information and awareness activities for the youth to understand the ills of
the NPA.
A series of Security Awareness Symposium, Youth Leadership
Seminar, sustained information dissemination through the tri-media, barangay
visitations, local community consultations and dialogues, inter-agency
conferences, and constant collaboration with the church officials and other
stakeholders, have helped reduce the threat to massive NPA recruitment.
Lt. Col. Antonio Dulnuan Jr., Battalion Commander of the
87th IB based in Calbiga, Samar said that these are activities that need to be
sustained not only the Philippine Army but by the local government units,
barangay officials and local communities as well.
With this knowledge, the 87th IB eye on instilling in youth
the desire and know-how to build peace and according to Col. Dulnuan there is
no better way to work toward future peace than to capture and channel the
imagination, passion, dynamism, capacities and commitment of the youth. By
filling young people with confidence and giving them the tools to build peace
in their own communities, a solid foundation for their future.
He lauded also some areas where residents are spearheading
efforts to ensure that their communities are free from the presence of
insurgents and some have even adopted measures to monitor the movement of
visitors coming to their villages.
To recall, faculty of Mabini National
High School
Mabini is a remote village in Basey, where children have to
walk approximately two to three hours to attend school and, in most cases, the
family income most likely will not allow them to go further than high school.
And empowerment of people through education is a long-lasting transformation,
leading to potential personal growth and capacity development, as well as
bringing hope for a better and possibly sustainable livelihood.
According to Echene Sabanyao, the Mabini National High
School Student President said that “I want to touch lives of those who are
passing through difficult situations acute poverty and sufferings. I considered
that my life is a solution to another person. I wish to change the story of
every unhappy child and touch the live of the poor youth in our village.”
The symposium according to School Principal Lauro Gacusana
of Mabini National High School
“It's a great feeling when you see someone who may have
given up on life become empowered for success because of the impact someone had
on their life. It is always a joy when I look at how much youth in marginalized
communities I have worked in have grown because other young people took the
time out to invest in their lives. I believe that once there are people willing
to hear the voices of youth, inform them, interact with them, and join them in
the movement, we will start to see a change in our nation’s youth",
Gacusana stressed.
http://www.samarnews.com/news2015/jan/d276.htm
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