Army educates youth vs. NPA recruitment

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 29, 202): Army educates youth vs. NPA recruitment (By Zorayda Tecson)

AWARENESS DRIVE. The Northern Luzon Command launches its national security awareness drive dubbed as 'UniVISITy' at the Jose V. Yap National High School in Tarlac City on Monday (Nov. 28, 2022). The program aims to raise awareness on the communist terrorist group's recruitment among the youth sector and recruit students to become peace and development advocates. (Photo courtesy of the Jose V. Yap National High School)

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) has launched its national security awareness drive for senior high school students in the region.

Dubbed as "UniVISITy", the project aims to raise awareness on the communist terrorist group's (CTG) strategies to draw in students and the youth sector, strengthen the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, and recruit students to become peace and development advocates.

Lt. Gen. Ernesto C. Torres Jr., Nolcom commander, said on Tuesday that the launching of the project was held at Jose V. Yap National High School in Tarlac City where some 1,500 students attended the program symposium.

During the event, the Situational Awareness and Knowledge Management Cluster of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) presented the deceptive recruitment of the CTG.

Likewise, former rebels turned Philippine Army soldiers, Private Ivylyn Corpin and Private Lady Desiree Miranda, shared their stories and experiences in the armed struggle and as today's peace advocates.

The Police Community Affairs and Development Unit of the Tarlac Police Provincial Office, on the other hand, educated the students about the anti-illegal drugs campaign.

The program was highlighted by the presence of an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recruitment booth and photo gallery where some students showed their interest in joining the soldiery.

School principal Ferdinand Gregorio said their administration appreciated Nolcom’s initiative in protecting the students from the deceptions of communist terrorists.

He said the military officers answered all the students’ queries as they were inspired by their stories and experiences.

“They also promoted programs that support peace and development related to their line of work,” Gregorio said in a social media post.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1189727