PROTECT THE YOUTH. Lt. Col. Francisco Molina (standing, center), commander of the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion, is shown conducting campaign among students in Sangay National High School in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte recently. Molina on Friday (Feb. 28, 2020) welcomes the call of Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, for the communist rebel movement to stop using child soldiers. (PNA photo by Alexander Lopez)
The Philippine Army in Agusan del Norte has welcomed the call of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) for the communist rebel movement to stop recruiting minor combatants.
“The call is in time with our efforts to fight the recruitment of the NPA (New People's Army) among our school children," said Lt. Col. Francisco Molina, Jr., commander of the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Friday (Feb. 28).
Molina issued the statement after OPAPP Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. called on the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), to halt its use of "child warriors".
In a statement on Thursday, Galvez said the CPP-NPA is "destroying the future of Filipino children, the hope of the nation".
“Instead of inspiring them to be upright, peaceful and law-abiding citizens, the insurgents are molding them into child warriors with the sole purpose of fighting the government,” Galvez added.
The OPAPP secretary also dubbed the communists as prime violators of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), pointing out the rebels' aggressive use of child combatants.
Galvez also cited cases of young NPA warriors killed, captured, and some who surrendered to the government in different areas in the country, including in Agusan del Norte.
Molina said Galvez's statement reflects the heightened cooperation among government agencies "to protect our children from being deceived by the communists".
“The fight to stop the CPP-NPA from deceiving our youth is no longer the sole responsibility of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The statement of Secretary Galvez signifies that we all work together to shield our young generation and the future of our country,” Molina said.
Intrusion in schools
Molina reiterated their findings earlier this month that showed at least 10 percent of students--particularly in secondary schools-- maintain a degree of sympathy for the communist rebel movement.
He said the result of their survey in Agusan del Norte schools indicated that NPA recruiters have already gained a foothold in school campuses.
“I thought before that the NPA only targeted college students in state colleges and universities. It’s no longer the case. Now, they are infecting with their false ideology our high school students,” Molina added.
He said that the Department of Education (DepEd), being the primary stakeholders of the students, should take an active role in preventing the NPA and its legal fronts from recruiting young combatants on campuses.
DepEd, he said, should also "inculcate among the children the sense of patriotism," noting that the young minds are vulnerable to influence of the CPP-NPA.
Role of LGUs
In addition to DepEd, Molina also pointed out the role of the local government units (LGUs) acting as "parents" for the youths in their communities.
“These minors are the constituents of the LGUs. In the localities, LGUs are considered their parents,” he said.
“The implementation of programs and projects by our LGUs must be with commitment and passion to make impacts on the lives of their constituents, including the young people,” Molina said.
He also urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to take pro-active measures to support the various initiatives 'to save the youth from the NPA".
“I believe that we need to care for those youth who were recruited and eventually went out of the movement. They need government support. But measures must also be taken by the DSWD and other agencies to prevent the youth from being recruited. Prevention is better than cure,” he added.
Interventions for families, as the basic unit in the community, must also be prioritized, he added.
Molina cited the case of “Alias Jil” who surrendered to the 23IB sometime in September last year.
“She was recruited by the NPA at the young age of 16. The NPA exploited the troubled family of Jil. Eventually, the NPA recruiters became the ‘shoulders to cry to’ for Jil. Eventually, she joined the rebels,” he said.
Support for IPs
Meanwhile, the National Commission on Indigenous People in Caraga Region (NCIP-13) also expressed support to the call of Galvez.
NCIP-13 Director Ferdausi Cerna told the PNA on Friday that the IP youths are among the victims of NPA recruitment in the Caraga Region.
Cerna also condemned the continuing recruitment of the NPA among the youth and students in the region.
“The Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA) and our unwritten laws handed from our ancestors prohibits and abhors the involvement of minors in any form of armed struggle,” Cerna said.
He also expressed support for the efforts of the Army and other government agencies in protecting the youth and students from the influence of the communist rebels.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1095149
“The call is in time with our efforts to fight the recruitment of the NPA (New People's Army) among our school children," said Lt. Col. Francisco Molina, Jr., commander of the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Friday (Feb. 28).
Molina issued the statement after OPAPP Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. called on the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), to halt its use of "child warriors".
In a statement on Thursday, Galvez said the CPP-NPA is "destroying the future of Filipino children, the hope of the nation".
“Instead of inspiring them to be upright, peaceful and law-abiding citizens, the insurgents are molding them into child warriors with the sole purpose of fighting the government,” Galvez added.
The OPAPP secretary also dubbed the communists as prime violators of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), pointing out the rebels' aggressive use of child combatants.
Galvez also cited cases of young NPA warriors killed, captured, and some who surrendered to the government in different areas in the country, including in Agusan del Norte.
Molina said Galvez's statement reflects the heightened cooperation among government agencies "to protect our children from being deceived by the communists".
“The fight to stop the CPP-NPA from deceiving our youth is no longer the sole responsibility of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The statement of Secretary Galvez signifies that we all work together to shield our young generation and the future of our country,” Molina said.
Intrusion in schools
Molina reiterated their findings earlier this month that showed at least 10 percent of students--particularly in secondary schools-- maintain a degree of sympathy for the communist rebel movement.
He said the result of their survey in Agusan del Norte schools indicated that NPA recruiters have already gained a foothold in school campuses.
“I thought before that the NPA only targeted college students in state colleges and universities. It’s no longer the case. Now, they are infecting with their false ideology our high school students,” Molina added.
He said that the Department of Education (DepEd), being the primary stakeholders of the students, should take an active role in preventing the NPA and its legal fronts from recruiting young combatants on campuses.
DepEd, he said, should also "inculcate among the children the sense of patriotism," noting that the young minds are vulnerable to influence of the CPP-NPA.
Role of LGUs
In addition to DepEd, Molina also pointed out the role of the local government units (LGUs) acting as "parents" for the youths in their communities.
“These minors are the constituents of the LGUs. In the localities, LGUs are considered their parents,” he said.
“The implementation of programs and projects by our LGUs must be with commitment and passion to make impacts on the lives of their constituents, including the young people,” Molina said.
He also urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to take pro-active measures to support the various initiatives 'to save the youth from the NPA".
“I believe that we need to care for those youth who were recruited and eventually went out of the movement. They need government support. But measures must also be taken by the DSWD and other agencies to prevent the youth from being recruited. Prevention is better than cure,” he added.
Interventions for families, as the basic unit in the community, must also be prioritized, he added.
Molina cited the case of “Alias Jil” who surrendered to the 23IB sometime in September last year.
“She was recruited by the NPA at the young age of 16. The NPA exploited the troubled family of Jil. Eventually, the NPA recruiters became the ‘shoulders to cry to’ for Jil. Eventually, she joined the rebels,” he said.
Support for IPs
Meanwhile, the National Commission on Indigenous People in Caraga Region (NCIP-13) also expressed support to the call of Galvez.
NCIP-13 Director Ferdausi Cerna told the PNA on Friday that the IP youths are among the victims of NPA recruitment in the Caraga Region.
Cerna also condemned the continuing recruitment of the NPA among the youth and students in the region.
“The Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA) and our unwritten laws handed from our ancestors prohibits and abhors the involvement of minors in any form of armed struggle,” Cerna said.
He also expressed support for the efforts of the Army and other government agencies in protecting the youth and students from the influence of the communist rebels.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1095149
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