87IB embark youth leadership activities to counter insurgency in Samar

By JAZMIN BONIFACIO
March 2, 2015

CALBIGA, Samar – The military here believe that education is a vital tool in risk reduction of NPA recruitment in the region. The youth sector, especially in urban and lowland areas, is more vulnerable to NPA recruitment and this has been repeatedly evidenced by the arrests of a good number of suspected activists that law enforcers believe to have links to the underground movement.

While poverty is a major factor of recruitment of children and minors up in the mountains, their counterparts living in the lowlands are more likely prone to recruitment due to idealism and deceit. To counter the activities of the NPA’s “front organizations” in the urban and lowland areas, the Army’s 87th Infantry Battalion embarked on massive and sustained education, information and awareness activities for the youth to understand the ills of the NPA.

A series of Security Awareness Symposium, Youth Leadership Seminar, sustained information dissemination through the tri-media, barangay visitations, local community consultations and dialogues, inter-agency conferences, and constant collaboration with the church officials and other stakeholders, have helped reduce the threat to massive NPA recruitment.

Lt. Col. Antonio Dulnuan Jr., Battalion Commander of the 87th IB based in Calbiga, Samar said that these are activities that need to be sustained not only the Philippine Army but by the local government units, barangay officials and local communities as well.

With this knowledge, the 87th IB eye on instilling in youth the desire and know-how to build peace and according to Col. Dulnuan there is no better way to work toward future peace than to capture and channel the imagination, passion, dynamism, capacities and commitment of the youth. By filling young people with confidence and giving them the tools to build peace in their own communities, a solid foundation for their future.

He lauded also some areas where residents are spearheading efforts to ensure that their communities are free from the presence of insurgents and some have even adopted measures to monitor the movement of visitors coming to their villages.

To recall, faculty of Mabini National High School in partnership with 87th IB and barangay officials facilitated a Youth Symposium (last Feb 13, 2015) in Brgy Mabini, Basey Samar, purposely to establish a peaceful society of youth in the community.

Mabini is a remote village in Basey, where children have to walk approximately two to three hours to attend school and, in most cases, the family income most likely will not allow them to go further than high school. And empowerment of people through education is a long-lasting transformation, leading to potential personal growth and capacity development, as well as bringing hope for a better and possibly sustainable livelihood.

According to Echene Sabanyao, the Mabini National High School Student President said that “I want to touch lives of those who are passing through difficult situations acute poverty and sufferings. I considered that my life is a solution to another person. I wish to change the story of every unhappy child and touch the live of the poor youth in our village.”

The symposium according to School Principal Lauro Gacusana of Mabini National High School aims to strengthen youth-driven peace-building initiatives based on the needs of its members, facilitates a safe space for dialogue and conflict transformation, develop the organizational capacities of the members and to bring the voices of young people to policy makers on a regional and global level. And it is an opportunity to exchange ideas, experiences and approaches on advocacy and is aiming to connect the experiences of young change makers and peace builders with the international policy realm.