Kalinaw News: 4,500 NSTP Students from SLU attends Youth Empowerment Symposium of TG-Baguio

From Kalinaw News (Mar 14, 2023): 4,500 NSTP Students from SLU attends Youth Empowerment Symposium of TG-Baguio

At least 4,500 National Service Training Program (NSTP) students from Saint Louis University (SLU) participated in Task Group (TG)- Baguio’s Information Education Campaign (IEC) thru the Youth Empowerment Symposium (YES) held at the Bishop Carlito Cenzon, D.D. Sports Center, SLU, Baguio City on 12 March 2023.

Personnel from TG-Baguio conducted series of lectures on the 7 Stages of Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) Youth and Student Deceptive Recruitment; Anti-Terrorism; and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Leaflets and flyers regarding AFP Recruitment and Government Scholarship Programs were also distributed to the students.

Afterwards, “Ka Red”, a former rebel, made a testimony thru sharing her life experiences when she was still a member of the CPP-NPA-NDF. She also discussed on how she was recruited by the organization and appealed to the youth to be vigilant in choosing and joining organizations that have true advocacies and not just deceiving students of what are their true intentions. “For us, as former rebels, we don’t want any youth to go through the route and place that we have been through because unlike ordinary youth, what the former rebels went through was very traumatic,” she added.

Moreover, Ms Charmaine Mendoza, Director, SLU Community Extension and Programs, mentioned in an interview that the presence of TG-Baguio in SLU conducting such IECs is a great blessing to them because it was formed to share good news, not only for themselves and the society, but also to the youth who they consider the hope of the nation.

“Kaya ang hamon ko sa ating mga kabataan ay ang pag-iisip ng maraming beses bago gumawa ng desisyon. Para naman sa ating mga magulang, mahalaga ang gampanin ninyo dahil kayo ang gumagabay at nagbibigay ng direksyon sa ating mga kabataan kaya hangga’t maaari, ang adbokasiyang ito ay maibahagi sa ating lahat, hindi lamang po sa paaralan kundi sa loob at sa labas ng ating komunidad,” she emphasized.

In his message, Mr Labrador Cobcobo, Department Head, SLU-NSTP, also advised the students to be aware of what is happening in the country and in the different organizations, particularly those organizations who are against the government because it is good to know the foundation of what they are really fighting for. “The information dissemination is for their future. What we really want to our children is to be happy and we are happy if they are in a good situation or if they become a good Filipino citizen,” he said.

Mr Brandon Cadingpal, NSTP Faculty, expressed his appreciation to TG-Baguio for conducting YES to his class, “It takes a community to build a child to be great. Although they are already college students- they can decide for themselves, they are already empowered, and they can express themselves properly, but then, they still need the guidance of their parents so that they can really be directed towards what is supposed to be and what is good. This is also an appeal to our morality which is properly deciding how we express our perspectives in life or who to be with, so that we’ll not lost track of what must be in our lives.”

Meanwhile, the students also thanked the organizers of the event because it was an eye-opener for them that it broaden their knowledge on how things work, what organizations they will be joining someday and be responsible enough in making decisions.

“Nakakatulong ito sa amin na kabataan sapagkat kami yung madalas na tinatarget dahil kami yung laging puno ng curiosity at more on adventurous type. So, in this way, mas alam na namin at mas nalalaman namin on how to be more vigilant sa pagpili ng mga organisasyon na aming pinapasukan,” a participant said.

TG-Baguio continuously conduct IECs thru YES in different schools and universities in Baguio City and Benguet to inform not only the students but also the school administrators and faculties and enlighten them of the CTG’s manipulation and exploitation of the youth thus, empowering them to resist communist terrorism by making them aware and be assertive of their rights.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/4500-nstp-students-from-slu-attends-youth-empowerment-symposium-of-tg-baguio/