SENATOR Ronald Dela Rosa appealed to the Department of Education to guard minors against the recruitment of leftist groups despite the absence of confidential funds.

“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 senator, however, encouraged the agency to continue 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.

“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. 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 said.

The DepEd admitted that 12.3% of the rebels who surrendered in 2016 to 2020 were minors aged 12 to 17 years old.

He cited reports that 55 Salugpungan schools, which the CPP-NPA used to operate, were shut down.

“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 na naman itong Salugpungan schools at kawawa ang ating mga bata,” Dela Rosa said.