Vice President Sara Duterte spoke during the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) "Banyuhay" Class of 2002 oath-taking ceremony at the historic Club Filipino in San Juan City.
Duterte said the members of the New People’s Army (NPA) are like "pests" after rebel attacks led to the suspension of face-to-face classes in Masbate.
Photo from the Office of the Vice President (OVP)
VP Duterte deplores NPA's Masbate attack that forced suspension of classes
Mar 25, 2023 08:49 AM
At a glance
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte likened the New People’s Army (NPA) to pests after rebel attacks led to the suspension of face-to-face classes in Masbate.
Her comments came during her speech for the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) "Bagong Anyo ng Buhay (Banyuhay)" Class of 2002 oath-taking ceremony on Friday, March 24.
“Ang mga grupo na katulad ng NPA ay parang mga peste na sumisira ng ating mga pananim at kabuhayan (Groups like the NPA are like pests that destroy our crops and livelihood),” she said.
“Terrorism, communism and criminality. These are seriously the forces of evil that burden our motherland,” the official added.
Noting that soldiers have been fighting off the NPA in Masbate since the first clash happened on Monday, March 20, Duterte shared that 135 public schools in six towns of the province have shifted to distance learning.
“The suspension of in-person classes is a difficult decision at a time when we are exerting all possible efforts to address problems confronting our learners particularly learning losses for the past two years,” she lamented.
The Vice President shared that the clashes between the NPA and the military have so far affected 55,199 learners and 2,815 school personnel.
She asked for prayers for the soldiers’ success because this would also benefit the students.
“Sa kanilang tagumpay (at) kaligtasan, makakabalik na muli ang mga learners at school personnel sa mga paaralan (In their triumph and safety, our learners and school personnel can go back to school,” she said.
At least four towns—Placer, Dimasalang, Uson and Cataingan—in Masbate have shifted to distance learning after the suspension of in-person classes because of the violence that erupted between the military and the NPA.
On Wednesday, March 22, violence erupted near the Locso-an Elementary School in Barangay Locso-an in Placer town after the flag-raising ceremony.
An explosion, followed by gunfire, was heard around the vicinity of the school.
This was after a clash occurred in Barangay Villahermosa in another adjacent town of Cawayan on Monday, March 20.