Group pushes for awareness drive vs. NPA recruitment of minors

FILE: DRIVE VS. NPA RECRUITMENT. The League of Parents in the Philippines (LPP), a network of parents whose children have been recruited by leftist organizations such as Anakbayan, Kabataan, and Bayan Muna, vows to launch awareness drive to prevent students being lured by CPP-NPA allied groups. In photo during a press conference in Manila on Friday (August 23) is group member Relissa Lucena, who still has not seen her daughter after the latter left home to join the communist group. (PNA photo by Christine Cudis)

MANILA — A group of parents is now pushing for information and awareness campaign to prevent children from being recruited by members of organizations linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

The League of Parents in the Philippines (LPP), a network of parents who have experienced the horrors of having their own children taken away from their homes to become full-time members of leftist organizations, on Friday called on other parents to be aware of the deception by CPP-NPA allied groups.

“Lahat ng magulang sa buong bansa sa buong Pilipinas, ayaw po natin mapahamak ang ating mga anak. Sa August 29, manawagan po tayo at ipahayag ang ating pag-alala sa ating mga kabataan (All parents in the Philippines, we do not want our children to be in danger. On August 29, let us all unite to call on others and tell them we are wary for our youth),” LPP founder Remy Rosadio told a press conference.

The LPP will host a series of peace-rally in Manila on August 29 — at the University of Sto. Tomas around 2 p.m., in Morayta at 3 p.m., and in Mendiola at 5 p.m.

Rosadio said other active LPP members nationwide will also launch their own awareness campaign with parents who have children in colleges that may be exposed to members of left-leaning organizations.

“Kung ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan, ang mga magulang ang gabay nila para sa pag-unlad (If the youth are the nation’s hope, the parents are their guide to become useful members of society),” she added.

Other LPP members, Relissa Lucena and Gemma Labsan, who both testified during a recent Senate inquiry into communist groups’ recruitment of students in schools, also attended the press conference.

“Knowledge is power. Ang mga bata kasi parang mga blankong papel yan, kaya kung masipag na inaahas ng mga komunistang grupo ang mga utak nila araw-araw, maniniwala sila kasi deceptive ang recruitment talaga ng Kabataan at Anakbayan (These kids enter college like a blank sheet of paper, and if these communists poison their minds every day in the most subtle way possible, they will really be fooled because their deceptive methods),” Lucena said.

Tight screening

She also called on the government to pass a law that requires school administrators to upgrade and put a stricter measure on hiring teachers.

“Dapat itong mga guro managot din. Dapat may batas para matakot sila kasi pinagkatiwalaan namin sila, sila dapat ang pangalawang magulang na proprotekta sa mga anak habang nasa paaralan (These teachers should have legal liabilities. We trusted that they will be the secondary parents when our children are in school attending their classes),” she added.

Meanwhile, Labsan echoed Lucena’s sentiments, saying schools’ faculty members should not allow the young minds of their children to be swayed by the sweet-talk of CPP-NPA recruiters.

“Salain po sana ng mabuti ang mga guro na nag aapply sa eskwelahan. Sana lahat ng educators ay maging bukas ang isip na huwag po sanang kalabanin ang gobyerno at huwag naman pong utusan magrally ang mga bata kapalit ng mataas na grade (They should vet the teachers who get hired in the schools. I hope these educators would have an open mind and not train their students to go against the government. They also should not require the children to attend protest rallies in exchange for high grades),” Labsan said.

With the public and government support, the LPP is determined to expose the real intentions of communist-front organizations like Anakbayan, Kabataan, and Bayan Muna.

“Gusto naming magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan ang mga bata, tigilan nyo ang paglason sa kanila. Walang magandang buhay ang naghihintay sa kanila sa mga immersion na ginagawa nyo sa bukid at paglayo sa kanilang mga pamilya (We want the kids to have bright future.

Stop fooling them into leaving their families in exchange of a life in the dark, remote-areas. No good awaits them in that.),” Rosadio said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.