Education Finance & Policy
In line with this, the Army's 10th Infantry Division (10 ID) forged a partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Union Bank in bringing additional textbooks for elementary pupils in Davao region. Capt. Emmanuel Garcia, 10ID spokesman, said Maria Gonzales Goolby, Union Bank's Corporate Philanthropy and Social Responsibility (CPSR) director, together with Mary Margaret Barro, the bank's Assistant Vice President for CPSR, have outlined Union Bank's "Learning System Program" while DepEd Region 11 Director, Susana Estigoy welcomed the help of the private sector in reaching out to students in the far flung areas. Garcia said a total of 130,000 volumes of books are slated to be given by Union Bank to DepEd to be distributed to different schools in the region with the help of the soldiers. Goolsby cited the partnership between Union Bank, DepEd, and soldiers as a formidable way in eradicating ignorance particularly in less developed places. "Most often, the only government instrumentalities seen by people in far-flung areas are teachers and soldiers, thus we made it a point to have DepEd and the
Armed Forces as partners in our aim to help educate people especially in the countryside as part of Union Bank's corporate social responsibility," said Goolsby. Soldiers of 10ID represented by Lt. Col. Ferdinand Budeng, 28th Infantry Battalion (28 IB) commander, presented the problem faced by students in the countryside as they are more prone to recruitment by local terrorists particularly of the NPA. The soldiers will be tasked to identify schools in NPA exploited areas which are in dire need of books and will be in charge of delivering them. Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, 10IDcommander, welcomed the partnership saying, "It is a cornerstone in fighting one of the root causes of the problem which is being capitalized by the NPA in deceiving the people particularly the youth." "This partnership is a scheme ought to be replicated with other groups in the private sector and other line government agencies.
Education is the key to successfully eliminate ignorance and an educated populace will translate to less people being deceived by the NPA," said Holganza. Military records show that in 2009, a total of 291 NPAs surrendered to 10ID and 13 were minors, which is 4.3 percent of the total number of surrenderees, while this year a total of 33 have surrendered and four are below the age of 18 which is 12 percent. Based on revelations of former NPAs, more minors are being utilized by the NPA in their terroristic actions against the state.
