ZAMBOANGA CITY, Dec 4 (PIA) – Youth from the Indigenous People (IP) community is prone to the New People’s Army – Communist Party of the Philippines (NPA-CPP) recruitment and easily believed on the deceiving words of the lawless group against the government, thus says Realyn Alegre, Spokesperson of the Kabataang Subanen of Western Mindanao.
During the Regional Task Force to End Local Communists Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) Serbisyo Caravan in Barangay Sto. Niño in Gutalac, Zamboanga Del Norte recently, the Kabataang Subanen of Western Mindanao expressed concern over the high number of IPs being recruited by the terrorist groups, where most of them are youth.
"Maraming kabataang subanen ang na-recruit ng CPP-NPA dahil kulang sa edukasyon at impormasyon kaya nandito ang grupo namin para tulungan sila (kabataang subanen) na maging malayo sa mga terorista,” Alegre firmly said.
["Many Subanen youth have been recruited by the CPP-NPA due to lack of education and information, that’s why our group is here to help them (Kabataang Subanen) stay away from terrorists.]
The youth leader also expressed sadness to her fellow-youth who became NPA members and have wasted their lives fighting for the wrong beliefs and ideologies.
"Masakit sa amin makitang namamatay sila dahil sa maling pinaglalaban, kaya’t kahit karamihan sa amin ay estudyante pa lamang, gusto naming tulungan ang gobyerno na gabayan ang mga kabataan sa buong rehiyon, ano man lahi o tribo,” Alegre added.
["It hurts us to see them die in the wrong fight, so even though most of us are still students, we want to help the government guiding the youth throughout the region, regardless of race or tribe"]
One of the government approaches to end insurgency is by reaching out to the IP communities, who are susceptible to the recruitment. And with the Kabataang Subanen, they visit even the farthest areas in the region as much as possible to empower and inform IPs specifically the youth that in revolution, they will not attain welfare and development.
"Kahit anong barangay, saang sulok o bundok pa yan ng Zamboanga Peninsula, bibisitahin namin yan basta makakaya para mabigyan namin ng proteksyon ang mga kabataan sa kabundukan at bigyan sila ng tamang impormasyon,” cited by Alegre.
["Whatever barangay, in any corners or mountains of the Zamboanga Peninsula, we will visit it as long as we can so that we can provide protection to the youth in the mountains and give them the right information."]
Through the supervision and guidance of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA)-9 to the Kabataang Subanen, they will remain determined and tireless to fight insurgency among the youth sector.
"Wag tayo magpaloko sa NPA, kasi alam naman natin na walang patutunguhan ang ipinaglalaban ng NPA at maaring ito pa ang sanhi sa pagwakas ng ating pangarap, maging ang buhay natin,” Alegre disclosed.
[“Let’s not be fooled by the NPA, because we know that what the NPA is fighting for has no destination and it may even be the cause of the end of our dreams, even our lives.”]
Alegre lastly reminded the youth to be critical of the organizations they will join and find out if it will benefit them in their studies and as a child, citizen, and law enforcer. (RVC/JRA/PIA-Zamboanga City)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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