Press Release - Bato to DepEd: continue fight against CPP-NPA-NDF recruitment in schools despite lack of CIF

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa made an appeal to the education department to guard minors against the recruitment of leftist groups regardless of the absence of confidential funds.

Dela Rosa manifested his support to the Department of Education, led by Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte, on Thursday, November 9, 2023, during the Senate deliberation on its 2024 proposed budget sponsored by Finance Vice Chairperson Pia Cayetano.

"Number one, I would like to manifest my support for the approval of the budget of DepEd. And number two, ako po ay nagpapasalamat, from the bottom of my heart, to our DepEd Secretary for forgetting about the confidential funds and it spared the Senate from debates regarding this issue," Dela Rosa said.

The Mindanaoan senator, however, encouraged the agency to push through and even boost its anti-insurgency efforts to free students from any influence of leftist groups particularly the Communist People of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

"Ang appeal ko sa kanila is that even without the confidential funds, sana siguruhin natin na wala nang mga bata na ma-recruit ng CPP-NPA doon sa kabundukan na makipaglaban sa ating gobyerno at mamatay. 'Yun lang ang appeal ko. Dahil nga, noong 18th Congress, we were together with the Good Sponsor noong nagkaroon tayo ng hearing about those missing minors, lumalabas talaga sa investigation natin na ang mga bata na nawawala at napupunta sa CPP-NPA ay nanggagaling diyan sa senior high school, Grades 11 and 12 which is under the care of DepEd."

Dela Rosa also made mention of the 55 shut-down Salugpungan schools which the CPP-NPA used to operate and advised the officials of DepEd to remind teachers about the doctrine of loco parentis, a legal term referring to a school or an organization's responsibility to take on the role and responsibilities of a parent.

"Itong Salugpungan schools ng CPP-NPA-NDF ay ito 'yung nag-sprout dahil sa kawalan ng DepEd sa kanilang area. So sana lahat ng barangays, mabigyan na natin ng proper educational institution, particularly sa Basic Education, dahil susulpot nanaman itong Salugpungan schools at kawawa ang ating mga bata," Dela