STA. CRUZ, Laguna (PIA) — The Philippine Army wants schools, colleges and universities to allow the military to hold National Security Awareness Sessions with students in a bid to counter the radicalization and recruitment efforts of the New People's Army (NPA).

In a recent meeting of the Laguna Peace and Order Council's Special Action Committee on Insurgency, Col. Ronald Jess Alcudia, deputy commander of the 202nd Infantry Brigade, said they have submitted their proposal to the Schools Division Office of Laguna, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Alcudia said the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) continues to recruit students, initially making them join militant organizations.

“The trend we’re seeing is the recruitment of cadres happening here [in cities], because the youth studies here and they know how to organize groups," Alcudia said.  

Alcudia expressed concerns about the manipulation of students, emphasizing that they target active student leaders so they could exploit their leadership skills and intellect.

He emphasized that the national security awareness sessions, reflecting the whole-of-nation approach, would help protect students from joining militant organizations and falling prey to the CPP-NPA-NDF's radical and violent extremist ideologies.

Through these sessions, the Philippine Army aims to promote understanding and awareness of the government's capabilities, programs, and policies and to discuss mainstream national concerns in classrooms.

He clarified that although the program may revise some instructional materials for Citizenship Advancement Training (CAT) and National Service Training Program (NSTP) courses, the Army said it will not interfere with the institutions' academic freedom.

“We will not interfere in how universities are being run because they have academic freedom that they also need to preserve. We want our youth to be critical thinkers and to know when they are being manipulated. We want their skills, knowledge, and wisdom to be put into a good cause and for the benefit of our country,” Alcudia added. 

Citing observations and statements from rebel returnees, Alcudia noted that the current teaching techniques and strategies for CAT and NSTP lag behind the tactics employed by the CTGs.

Alcudia stressed that through the collaborative efforts, the Army is committed to strengthening situational awareness and information, education, and communication campaigns to awaken the minds of the students against the CTGs' wrong ideologies.

The three government agencies supported the initiative and pledged their collaboration with the Philippine Army to develop instructional materials, pending the signing of an agreement between the agencies. 

According to CHED, the Calabarzon region has the highest number of universities and colleges nationwide, totaling 361 institutions

Alcudia said the program will be a huge task, but once successfully implemented, it will be a beneficial program for the stability of the peace and order situation in the region.

He also encouraged academic communities in Calabarzon to "do their part in protecting their campuses, and they themselves would not heavily rely on the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police to make their schools a safe haven for students.” (CH/PIA-Laguna)