DepEd SurSur orders massive info campaign vs NPA’s recruitment

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 25, 2019): DepEd SurSur orders massive info campaign vs NPA’s recruitment (By 3rd Special Forces Battalion, PA)

BAYUGAN CITY, Agusan del Sur -- The Department of Education (DepEd) Surigao del Sur Division based in Balilahan, Mabua, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, in coordination with the 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn) has issued an office memorandum order on Sept. 16, 2019 to elementary and secondary schools to reproduce the “CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front) Hands-Off Our Children, Save our Youth” advocacy posters in large format to be displayed in all of the schools’ conspicuous areas. The memorandum order was officially made public on Sept. 20, 2019.

This is in line with the DepEd’s continuous commitment to declare schools as peace zones. Anti-government groups discredited this initiative but the DepEd and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stood firm in their mandate to protect the youth from being victims of the Communist NPA Terrorist deceptive recruitment scheme.

With the implementation of the Executive Order No. 70 (EO 70) institutionalizing the Whole-Of-Nation Approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace, various government institutions like the DepEd and AFP along with concerned stakeholders, particularly the parents, took bold steps and trailblazing initiatives to protect their children from being victims of CNT front organizations’ deception.

Lt. Col. Joey Baybayan, commanding officer of 3SFBn, lauded the DepEd-Surigao Sur for their trailblazing initiative. “DepEd Surigao Sur Schools Division is the first in the education sector to officially issue this kind of memorandum in our area of operations. If I’m not mistaken, maybe even in the whole Caraga region and this is worth recognizing and emulating,” he said.

“We are grateful because the military can only do so much. Insurgency cannot be resolved through military solution alone. The recruitment and organizing works of the Communist NPA terrorists comprise 70% of their activities and that should be addressed by the combined efforts of all government agencies and our stakeholders. It can be done through this example by starting from our homes and our schools,” LTC Baybayan added.

Danilo Alcantara of DepEd-Surigao Sur said that all schools will hang the advocacy tarp. "We will monitor the field to ensure 100% implementation,” he added. (1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo J. Punsalan, 3SFBn, PA/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1027689