Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Quality education, not revolution: Surigao Sur tribal leader

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 3, 2020): Quality education, not revolution: Surigao Sur tribal leader (By Alexander Lopez)



EDUCATION, NOT REVOLUTION. Surigao del Norte Governor Alexander Pimentel (center in blue hat) spearheads the ocular inspection of sites in Barangay Diatagon, Lianga town and Barangay Mahaba in Marihatag on Monday (March 2, 2020) for the establishment of schools for indigenous people. The governor is accompanied by top officials of the Department of Education in Caraga Region and representatives of the various government agencies (Photo courtesy of 3SFBn)

A tribal leader has welcomed the government's plan to put up a school in an upland village in the Surigao del Sur town of Lianga that the military considers a hotbed for the communist insurgency.

Hawudon Jumar Bucales, the Indigenous Peoples’ Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of Lianga, alleged that the two tribal schools currently operating in Barangay Diatagon have links to the New People's Army (NPA).

“Our tribe wants our children to access quality education with the hope that someday, we can produce professionals who can uplift and help our tribe preserve our culture and traditions," Bucales told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday.

"We need quality education, not revolution,” he added.

Bucales joined top government officials led by Surigao del Sur Governor Alexander Pimentel and Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Director Francis Cesar Bringas during the site inspection for the establishment of a government-run tribal school in Sitio Kilometer 9, Barangay Diatagon, on Monday (March 2).


On the same day, the team also conducted an ocular inspection in the neighboring Barangay Mahaba, Marihatag town, where another tribal school is being planned.

Bucales said the establishment of government-accredited schools in the area has been requested by the predominantly Manobo residents for years.

He said parents are worried because the two tribal schools in Diatagon--the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) and the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV)--are reportedly operating without DepEd permits.

Worse, he alleged that the two schools "are only disguising as alternative learning schools for the IP children. TRIFPSS and ALCADEV only produced cadres for the communists NPA movement".

“They radicalized our children and sowed hate in their hearts. These divided our tribe and caused more conflict and exploitation. We believe, as elders of the tribe, that DepEd schools will be our hope for our children and for the betterment of our tribe. The Manobo tribe is tired of being used as props for the communists’ political ambitions," Bucales said.

Over the weekend, Bucales and military officials in the area denounced the NPA and the leftist indigenous people's organization, Malahutayong Pakigbisog alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU), for allegedly orchestrating harassments and intimidation that forced some 35 Manobo families from their homes.

“This is an old strategy of the CNTs (Communist New People's Army Terrorists) and MAPASU. First, the CNTs will harass civilians, then MAPASU will trigger evacuation, then, put the blame on the military and demand for their pull-out in order to delay the implementation of the government’s development projects for the IPs and recover their mass base,” Bucales said.

1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan, civil-military operations officer of the Army's 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn), said Monday "the quest of the Manobo tribe for the establishment of more government IP schools in Surigao del Sur" has the military's backing.

“The government IP schools is for the future of the children of the Manobo tribe. These children now are also their future. The Army will continue to support them especially in the establishment of these schools,” Punsalan said, adding the Army's 544th Engineer Battalion will help construct the planned tribal schools.

Also were present during Monday's ocular inspections were Lianga Mayor Novelita Sarmen, Marihatag Mayor Marc Justine, and Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur Mayor Kirk Asis, who is the Regional Development Council (RDC) chairperson on Social Services.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1095264

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.