Kabataan ang Pag-asa ng ating Bayan

LUPON, Davao de Oro - Fifty (50) Indigenous People (IP) Youth leaders graduated from the 3-day IP Mandaya Youth Leadership Summit with a theme "Batan-on: Nagkauyon Alang sa pagpahunong sa armadong Pakigbisog" which was conducted by the Provincial Task Force ELCAC Davao Oriental through the Youth for Peace Movement at Brgy. Marayag, Lupon, Davao Oriental on October 23-25, 2020.

The activity aims to insulate our IP Youth from the deceptive recruitment schemes of the CPP-NPA-NDF Terrorist and inform/educate them on the current programs of the government especially on the implementation of PRRD's Executive Order (EO) 70 or the Whole of Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).

During the summit, several speakers of various fields of expertise have shared their knowledge and wisdom with the participants in order for them to learn and be equipped with the necessary information for their personal, social, and spiritual development.

Among the speakers were Mr. Art Benjie Bulaong, the Provincial Administrator of Davao Oriental, Mr. Rotchie Ravelo of PAGRO, Mr. Joshua Caleb Solomon from NICA, and others.

Also, the participants were made aware of the existence of the CPP-NPA-NDF Terrorist Organization and the threat it poses in schools and workplace,s and how the IPs are being exploited in their ancestral lands.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ednar Dayanghirang, the Focal Person of the Provincial Task Force ELCAC of Davao Oriental and Chief of Staff to Governor Nelson Dayanghirang, was very delighted with the positive response of the Barangay Local Government Unit of Marayag, the Tribal Chieftain, and the participants during the conduct of the 3-day summit.

This implies that the IP Youth of Barangay Marayag is ready and willing to support the government in its goal of Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict in the Province of Davao Oriental.

The Punong Barangay, Hon Helen Manggob, on behalf of the participants and the residents of Barangay Marayag expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental headed by Hon Nelson L Dayanghirang and to Mr. Ednar Dayanghirang; Municipal Government of Lupon headed by Hon Erlinda D Lim, the 28th Infantry Battalion headed by Lt. Col. Alexander D Banatao, the Local Youth Development Office of Lupon, headed by Mr. Jessie Fuertes, the Youth for Peace Movement Davao Oriental headed by Mr. Van Jorain Rufin and the partner agencies and individuals involved during the summit.

Source: Civil-Military Operations Office, 28th Infantry Battalion, Joint Task Force Agila, PA