Army to sustain youth advocacy to counter NPA recruitment

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 14, 2022): Army to sustain youth advocacy to counter NPA recruitment (By Alexander Lopez)

MOLDING THE YOUTH. Some 30 youth leaders from various villages in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte, joins the three-day Youth Leadership Summit held from July 9-11, 2022. The Army’s 29IB said the activity aims to mold the participants to become effective community leaders and to protect them from the influences of the NPA rebels. (Photo courtesy of 29IB)

The Army’s 29th Infantry Battalion (29IB) in Agusan del Norte has vowed to sustain its advocacy programs on youth leadership as part of its broader peace and development initiative to counter the recruitment of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

Col. Jason Saldua, the commander of 29IB, said the unit will also work with stakeholders and government agencies to equip young people to become effective leaders in their communities.

“Young leaders have the right to be molded to become good leaders in their communities and the chance to be educated for development,” Saldua said in a statement Thursday.

The Army unit recently engaged some 30 young leaders from the different barangays in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte, in a three-day leadership summit held from July 9 to 11 this year.

Saldua said the three-day activity aims to enhance the leadership skills of Kitcharao's youth leaders “and help their communities become free from illegal drugs and criminality.”

“Our young leaders must be updated and be aware of the schemes the terrorist groups are using during recruitment,” he added.

The 29IB is set to conduct more youth summit activities in Agusan del Norte to shield the youth from the influences of the NPA insurgents, he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1178930