Lumad and Supporters Hound Sec. Briones at Makati forum, Chained and Locked the Gates of DepEd

Lumad students, teachers and supporters under the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network expressed their dismay as Sec. Briones, whom they branded as “Liling Sinungaling” deliver her speech on “Teaching the Truth” during a Truth, Trust and Democracy forum.

SOS Mindanao spokesperson, Rius Valle cited an example where Sec. Briones blatantly lied to save herself from the humiliation of criminally neglecting the Lumad children to education, “Sec. Briones said in her recent interview that Obello Bay-ao, slain Lumad pupil was not killed by state forces during her term. Obello was shot dead on Sept. 5, 2017, just past a month after Duterte threatened to bomb Lumad schools while Briones took her office last year, June 2016. Is it just a mistake or a lie, if it’s just a mistake, then she still lied when she said that they know the situation of Lumad children and that they are working hard to for its betterment.”

Valle also belied the previous statement of Sec. Briones that the Department of Education has been working ever since to grant permit for all pending applications from Lumad schools, “Based on the data that we have collected, there are still 15 Lumad schools with pending permit application that DepEd Regional offices have consistently snubbed for an average of one to four years”.

“We can also consider it a lie when Briones said that they are doing their job to protect the rights of Lumad children to education. Sec. Briones continued the implementation of DepEd Memo 221 series of 2013 despite its provisions which allow state forces to use Lumad schools during military operations, thus the intensified human rights violations against Lumad children, which in effect, hindered their studies” said Eule Rico Bonganay, Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns Secretary-General and SOS Network National lead convener.

WATCH: Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones met with protest in a forum

Meanwhile, Lumad students and supporters chained and locked the gates of DepEd-Main office in Pasig City. “Lumad students, teachers and leaders declare DepEd led by Sec. Briones in collusion with the AFP on closing down and attacking lumad schools and communities. It is an enemy of lumad children and teacher! Hence it deserves a closure order from lumad people,” said Relita Malundras, SOS national network spokesperson.

Lumad children ended their 13-day camp out in front of DepEd Main office as Sec. Briones mercilessly showed no intent of talking to them. Lumad students plan to advance the struggle to save Lumad schools and communities in Mindanao amid intensified military attacks.

WATCH: Lumad students, teachers and parents locked the gate of DepEd central office

Salinlahi, Save Our Schools Network Join Women in Rising Against Tyranny and Fascism

Department of Education – Main Office, Pasig City │ Salinlahi alliance for Children’s Concerns, together with Save Our schools (SOS) network join women and children in rising against tyranny and fascism during the 2017 commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW).

“Duterte’s militaristic, tyrannical and fascist characteristics are the greatest threats to women and children especially in Lumad communities of Mindanao”, said Rius Valle, SOS Mindanao Spokesperson. Valle also added that the recent threat of crackdown of President Duterte against suspected communist fronts will surely intensify the attacks against schools, “He has been vilifying lumad schools as communist schools, hence, we consider his recent rages as direct threat to Lumad women, children and communities”.

During the same event, Eule Rico Bonganay SOS lead convener and Salinlahi Secretary General stated that Duterte’s war ‘addiction’ has become a bloody war against women, children and national minorities and is no different from previous administrations and in fact worse, “President Duterte is a madman. His open declaration of threats to bomb and destroy lumad schools and the crackdown on legal activists and organizations only formalized what they have already been doing since the beginning, despite the existence of peace talks. The AFP actually is the one not honoring the Duterte government’s words and they are the ones insincere to achieving the path to peace based on justice.”

The groups cited different forms of human rights violations perpetrated by the AFP. “With or without peace talks, the Duterte regime have been compromising the lives and safety of thousands of lumad women and children. Women and children are raped and sexually harassed by elements of the AFP and para-military groups. They are being wooed just for the AFP to be close to them and be able to get some information,” Valle said.

The central call of the event which was led by GABRIELA, Gabriela Women’s Party, Task Force One Billion Rising, New Voice Company and Save Our Schools Network is collective action against different forms of violence under the growing fascism and tyranny of the current US-Duterte regime.

The said event was attended by various personalities like the political activist, director and actress Mae Paner A.K.A Juana Change, theatre actress and singer, Monique Wilson, former beauty queen and known Lumad school supporter, Ms. Maria Isabel Lopez and former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo. ###

Go beyond DepEd legalese; SOS network tells Briones in Lumad school permits’ delay

Manila-based supporters of the network asserting for self-sustaining lumad education are beginning to flock to the camp out set by Lumad students and teachers in front of the Department of Education central office in Pasig, adding their voices to the calls for DepEd secretary Leonor Briones to condemn AFP attacks on lumad schools in Mindanao.

The Save Our Schools (SOS) Network led teachers from different Manila schools to witness an actual LitNum or literacy-numeracy class to stress the point which Briones is trying to downplay in her latest grudging statement to the press after the camp out started. “For years, lumad schools have been providing children and adults a nationalist, mass-oriented and scientific education. However, DepEd has been denying Lumad children the right to education and their right to self-determination by allowing AFP attacks on schools while at the same time refusing to grant and/or renew their permits to operate,” said SOS Network lead convener and Salinlahi secretary general Eule Rico Bonganay.

The group mentioned that the education provided by Lumad schools empower both young and old, not just to read and write, but to improve their economic status, health and defense of their ancestral land from incursions like mining and plantations. “An education that promotes and develops Lumad children’s love for their land, country and people made them deliberate targets of AFP attacks. The strength of their community to protect and defend their ancestral lands was hastened by their education,” Bonganay added.

“Gaano man kahirap, sinisikap naming mga boluntaryong guro na magpatuloy sa pagbibigay ng mapagpalayang edukasyon para sa mga batang Lumad. Tinuturuan namin sila, hindi lamang kung paano magbasa at magsulat, kundi kung paano rin ipagtatanggol ang kanilang mga karapatan bilang mga miyembro ng pambansang minorya,” said Teacher Ramel Miguel of Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center who also experienced different forms of military harassment. Last June, Teacher Miguel together with his students were holding classes when indiscriminately fired at by members of paramilitary group Alamara for five consecutive days.

Reacting to Secretary Briones’ claim that her ministerial process of permitting schools to operate is non-discriminatory as long as Lumad schools submit the prerequisites, SOS Network Mindanao spokesperson Rius Valle countered that lumad schools have submitted the realistic basic minimum documents based on the existing realities of Lumad communities. He added that the DepEd is imposing layer upon layers of impossible standards that do not match the actual situation and needs of Lumad communities, including electrical wiring plans where grid power do not feed into their villages.

On the other hand, DepEd’s former secretary Armin Luistro issued Memorandum Order 221 in 2013 which enabled the military to enter and occupy schools and interfere in academic activities supposedly as part of their counter insurgency operations.

“Despite many protests in Mindanao that was periodically marched from Mindanao to Manila, the DepEd persisted in upholding the memorandum even as killings of teachers and students by paramilitary groups and their military handlers occurred frequently and bombings have escalated after President Duterte commanded the military to bomb and destroy lumad schools,” added Valle.

Two days before the commemoration of Universal Children’s Day on November 20, the group urged Sec. Briones to hold a dialogue with them and address the issue of military attacks on Lumad schools in Mindanao. “Her career in civic advocacy that raised her profile as a stickler for social and economic rights are now all a bad memory as she seems to become a willing tool in closing down Lumad schools in Mindanao. She can salvage her last remaining posturing for human rights if she grants the permit and recognize lumad schools, scrap DepEd Memorandum 221 and noninterference with Lumad’s way of sustaining their own schools and self-determined paths to development,” Valle concluded. ###

On Briones’ statement that Lumad Schools just need to apply for permit, SOS: We are yearly snubbed by your office

Save Our Schools Network criticized DepEd Sec. Briones after her recent statement that Lumad schools only need to apply for permit to be recognized. SOS network stated that the Department of Education snubbed the applications from Lumad schools and imposing requirements not applicable in thr far-flung areas.

“Two campuses of Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. (MISFI) academy in Carmen, North Cotabato and White Culaman, Kitaotao, Bukidnon were denied of permit to operate for four consecutive years after complying with all the DepEd requirements. The respective Division superintendent and Education for Private Schools Supervisor assigned for both schools have already submitted their reports to DepEd after their ocular inspection but still, no permit was released to recognize our schools” said Leah Mae Serra, Teacher in charge, MISFI academy.

SOS Network Mindanao spokesperson Ruis Valle said that the Department of Education is imposing requirements that are not applicable to Lumad areas. “The Department of Education is asking for Electrical permit and Bureau of Fire Permit. Aren’t they informed that most of the Lumad areas do not have electricity? They also ask for computer laboratory equipment for Lumad schools to be recognized. This only shows that the institution supposedly responsible for providing education to Lumad children do not have any idea of the situation in far-flung areas”

Meanwhile, SOS Network lead convener and Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns secretary general Eule Rico Bonganay said that there are two possibilities behind the statement of Sec. Briones, “There are only two possibilities on why Briones said that Lumad schools only need to apply permits to be recognized. One, she doesn’t have any idea of what is happening on the ground, or two, she wants to make it look that it is the Lumad schools who are not complying with the DepEd requirements, well in fact, it is the DepEd offices who are ignoring applications from Lumad community schools. Sec. Briones should also investigate the deliberate refusal of DepEd regional offices to release permits to operate as a form of attack against Lumad schools” Bonganay narrated.

Rius Valle added that “For Briones to know what is happening on the ground, the ongoing campout in front of DepEd National office is a great opportunity for a dialogue. We are encouraging her to talk with us, and better if she could visit Lumad community Schools in Mindanao.” ###

Group sets children’s day for DepEd to Act on attacks vs. Lumad Schools

Save Our Schools network, an alliance of academicians, child rights advocates, lumad students, volunteer teachers and other supporters of lumad schools stormed DepEd National Office, demanding Secretary Briones to act and not be complacent on the continuing cases of military attacks against lumad community schools in Mindanao.

“Sec. Briones has repeatedly ignored our call to rescind DepEd Memo 221, a memorandum issued last 2013 allowing the AFP to use schools in military operations, paving the way to various forms of human rights violations such as killings of students and teachers and forcible evacuation,” said Relita Malundras, spokesperson of Save Our Schools Network – National.

SOS Network sets November 20, 2017, Universal Children’s Day, as deadline for Sec. Briones to scrap DepEd Memo 221 and condemn the continuing violations against Lumad students, teachers and community members.

“Sec. Briones should be ashamed of herself for being inutile for the past 16 months in her office while the AFP continues to violate Lumad children’s right to education. This coming Universal Children’s day is the perfect time for her to act and stand beside the Lumad children and uphold their basic right to education.” Malundras added.

According to SOS Network – Southern Mindanao Region spokesperson Rius Valle, “More than 100 Lumad students are still in Bakwit school in UP Diliman as militarization reigns in their ancestral lands. Just this Sept. 5, 2017, a grade six Lumad student, Obello Bay-ao was shot to death by CAGFU and AFP-trained paramilitary group Alamara only 50 meters away from their school,”

“Under the Duterte administration, 39 lumad schools were forcibly closed down by state forces. Attacks against Lumad schools also intensified after the declaration of Martial law in Mindanao and Duterte’s threat to bomb community schools” Valle added.

“Sec. Briones’ DepEd Memo 221 brings more encouragement to fascist state forces to violate Lumad student’s right to education and life. Moreover, it provides blanket protection to state forces as they attack lumad schools and their communities. Why is Sec. Briones so afraid to scrap the memo? Is there any conspiracy between AFP and DepEd to forcibly close community schools?” Valle asked.

Malundras also added that the Department of Education should recognize the more than 200 schools established by Lumads themselves which provide nationalist, scientific and mass-oriented education as the government remains to be inutile in remote areas.

Malundras also encouraged child rights advocates, academicians, religious groups and other supporters of Lumad schools to intensify the call to protect and save Lumad schools as the international children’s day approaches.

“This year’s international Children’s day, let us fearlessly fight for the greatest gift that we could give to Lumad students, their right to education” Malundras ended. ###

SOS TO PUBLIC: INTENSIFYING STATE FASCISM NEEDS INTENSIFYING COLLECTIVE ACTION

The Save Our Schools (SOS) network called for stronger public vigilance and collective action amidst blatant undermining of human rights in the country.

“The SOS network upholds and protects human rights as it pursues lumad children’s right to education and self-determination and active campaigning against intensifying AFP attacks on lumad schools and communities but the Duterte government’s responses are more bombings, killings, massive displacement due to fascist state policies and plunder of resources,” said Relita Malundras, SOS network national spokesperson.

SOS network cited the recent PhP 1,000.00 budget given to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as a deliberate move to undermine human rights. “While we condemn the commission’s inutility on lumad killings, attacks on schools and communities, the budget cut symbolizes arrogant display of power by Duterte lapdogs in the lower house in their clear attempt to hide state perpetrated violations,” Malundras explained.

The group called on the public to unite and fight state fascism. “Needless to say, we cannot hope for justice to be given by a government ruled by a fascist president. Our hope relies on our unity and collective action. Intensified rights violations require massive and intensified actions,” Malundras continued.

SOS network mentioned that concerted efforts and support of rights advocates gave birth to their own network which will launch its first National conference on Saturday, 16th of September, 1:00 PM-5:30 PM at Benitez Hall, University of the Philippines Diliman. “We need to speak and act for thousands of victims, of children and young people murdered by the Duterte government like Obello Bay-ao, a Manobo recently killed by CAFGU and AFP-backed Alamara, and other members of national minority groups who are here in Metro Manila for the Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya 2017,” concluded Malundras. ###

Save Our Schools Network Unity Statement on President Duterte’s Threat to Bomb Lumad Schools

The Save Our Schools (SOS) network, a network of children’s rights and human rights advocates advocating for the lumad children’s right to education and right to self-determination, strongly condemn President Rodrigo Duterte’s post State of the Nation Address (SONA) statement that threatened to bomb lumad schools in Mindanao.

We, in the SOS network, has actively campaigned against military attacks on schools during the Aquino administration where lumad schools in Mindanao were viciously attacked and somewhere forcibly closed due to intensified militarization. Lumad leaders and educators were vilified, threatened and killed. The massare in Lianga, Surigao del Sur in 2015 wherein two lumad leaders, Bello Sinzo and Dionel Campos and ALCADEV executive director Emerito Samarca where killed and still has not found justice almost two years after.

When he was still a mayor of Davao City, President Duterte openly criticized the AFP who were using schools and other public places as posts or barracks. But his statement after his second SONA clearly contradicted his previous support for lumads and showed his prostration to AFP.

President Duterte  openly declared a war against lumad people. He, as the president, vilified and red-tagged lumad schools as schools of the New People’s Army (NPA). True enough, AFP trained, funded and armed paramilitary group Alamara harassed at least four lumad schools in Mindanao the following day.  Duterte’s statements were clearly taken  as a marching order by his lapdogs in the AFP, continuing and intensifying attacks on lumad schools, communities and peoples.

We, in the SOS network, strongly reiterate our stand that education is an inviolable right of children, especially of the oppressed sectors in our society. Lumad schools which were persevered by lumad organizations is an assertion of their basic human rights and their right to self-determination.

We strongly oppose and emphasize our calls to stop AFP attacks on lumad schools and communities, pull out military and AFP backed para military troops in lumad communities and put an end to repressive policies like the Department of Education Memorandum 221 (series of 2013), Oplan Kapayapaan, All-out war policy and the recently extended Martial law in Mindanao.

We are also one in calling for the continuation of the peace talks between the Duterte government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and continue discussing socio-economic reforms that include issues confronted by national minorities.

We,  in the Save Our Schools network particularly demand the following:

1. President Duterte should retract his statement that vilified and threatened to bomb lumad schools.
2. President Duterte should instead show his support to initiatives of national minorities by recognizing lumad schools as institutions built by lumad people and respect those as sacred to them and their culture.
3. Immediately rescind DepEd memorandum 221 (s. 2013) that justifies military presence and encampment in schools.
4. Lift Martial law in Mindanao as it negatively impact on children and whole of Moro and Christian communities.

Moreover, the Save our Schools Network, recognize that these demands cannot be fully realized without a wide support from different sectors of our society. Thus, we enjoin peace loving advocates and those who value life, especially of children to be one with us in our calls. The need to amplify our voices and transform them into concrete actions is strongly needed in these trying times.

We, in the SOS network, believe that the Filipino people’s strength will prevail amid the storms. ###

Progressive Groups, Party lists file House Resolutions against Attacks on Lumad Schools, Communities

Save Our Schools (SOS) Network, through the ACT Teachers’ Party list and Gabriela Women’s Party filed house resolutions seeking to investigate the cases of human rights violations and military attacks against Lumad schools and communities documented after the declaration of Martial law in Mindanao.

There are 68 incidents of military attacks affecting 89 Lumad schools from July 2016 to July 2017. These attacks have worsened after the declaration of Martial law.

“From Aquino administration up to now, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is consciously waging a genocidal campaign against Lumads and other indigenous peoples who are resisting the incursion of business interests in their ancestral land. With the declaration of Martial law in the entirety of Mindanao, state forces has the upper hand to militarize, kill and push Lumads and Moros away from their lands” said Eule Rico Bonganay, lead convenor, Save Our School Network.

According to the data of SOS Network, about 80% of the military attacks against Lumad schools happened in Southern Mindanao (SMR), the President’s home region. There are 89 schools and more than 2500 students victimized by the said attacks perpetrated by state forces. These cases include military occupation, extra-judicial killings, threat, harassment, intimidation of students and teachers, destruction of school properties, indiscriminate firing, vilification, closure or threat of closure of school, filling of trumped-up charges against school personnel, illegal arrest and detention, enforced disappearances, torture and forcible evacuation.

One of the incidents cited in a house resolution filed in House of Representatives include the reported incident last July 13 where members of peasant organization HuMabin namely Carlito Arado, 54 and Carolina Arado, 52 were killed at their house after members of 46^th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army indiscriminately fired at them. At the same time, Analiza Simbahon, a member of Parents Teacher and Community Association (PTCA) of Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center (STTICLC) in Macasicareg, Brgy. Anitapan, Mabini and also President of Masicareg Farmers Association, together with her two children was admitted at the hospital due to severe gunshot wounds.

Other resolutions were also filed to investigate the closure of 20 schools of Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services (CLANS) in Sultan Kudarat; and the indiscriminate firing of a CAFGU member against teachers and students of Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center STTILC) in Talaigod, Davao del Norte last June in aid of legislation.

“No one will benefit from these attacks but the Armed Forces and their foreign masters to freely operate their destructive mining and other businesses. The AFP are exploiting the declaration of Martial law and Marawi crisis in their campaign against progressive groups and Indigenous people of Mindanao hoping that this will ward off opposition against from their business operations. ” Bonganay added.

On the other hand, SOS Network lambasted President Duterte over his statement during his meeting with the progressive groups in Malacanang last July 19 claiming that militarization of Lumad communities and its consequent military abuses are just part of the ongoing civil war. “President Duterte has seemingly turned into a narrow, militarist warmonger contrary to his pro-Lumad postures before he became president” said Bonganay, adding that in 2015, Duterte called for the pull-out of state forces in Lumad communities during the Oplan Bayanihan of the Aquino administration against our indigenous people who oppose destructive mining activities.

“It is just to oppose the Martial Law extension and call for an end to militarization of Lumad schools and communities in Mindanao. The extension of Martial law will be met with the strongest opposition from the IP communities who have been long victimized by state-perpetrated human rights violations” Bonganay concluded.

Save Our Schools network is also part of the “Hugpongan sa Diliman” a symbolic meet-up of delegates from Mindanao and their supporters in Manila. Around 350 lumad students, teachers and parents are set to hold “Kampuhan” (Camp out) in various schools and offices in Metro Manila in time with President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address to voice out their plight in Mindanao amidst Martial law. ###

SOS Network to Briones: Immediately take action over attacks on lumad schools in Sultan Kudarat!

The Save our Schools (SOS) network held a protest action outside the gates of the Department of Education today, asking DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones to immediately act on recent attacks on lumad schools under the administration of Center for Lumad Advocacy  and Services, Inc. (CLANS) in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

‘Threats, harassments and intimidations by Mayor Abubacar Bakre Maulana sowed terror among students and teachers of 18 community schools in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. We are very much angered by these actions that the local government took, in collaboration with the military and local offices of government agencies including DepEd,’ SOS spokesperson Reina Requioma narrated.

Reports from CLANS mentioned the intention of the military, LGU and different government agencies involved to vilify the school and its teachers by distributing flyers and hanging tarpaulins which label CLANS as front of the New People’s Army. The said tarpaulins bore the logos of the Palimbang municipal government, the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples, the DILG, the DepEd, the Philippine Marines, and the PNP.

She added that these are clear violations of the right of children to education and it is even painstaking to witness the utter disregard of the hard work of non-government organizations like CLANS.

‘Mayor Maulana ordered the closure of CLANS schools and threatened the teachers to stop their work in educating the lumad children, which for us is a very clear order to those providing services for children of national minorities to stop their noble cause!’ Requioma continued.

The network called on Sec. Briones to immediately put an end to these attacks. Requioma challenged the secretary, ‘We are dismayed over the DepEd’s inaction. If Sec. Briones is really an advocate of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) like she mentioned in her July 2016 turn-over message at the DepEd, she should prove it through reprimanding Mayor Maulana, her subordinates in the DepEd office in Palimbang, as well as other agencies to stop attacking lumad alternative schools,’”

SOS network is set to continue the campaign against the on-going attacks on CLANS schools and communities of lumad in Sultan Kudarat, and other similar cases all over Mindanao. ‘We are calling on advocates to continue demanding immediate resolution to these attacks and that can only be achieved when military troops pull out from communities and the likes of Mayor Maulana and government agencies involved be held accountable,’ ended Requioma. ###

 

 

POSITION PAPER ON DEPED MEMORANDUM 221, SERIES OF 2013

Education is a basic human right and an indispensable means of realizing other human rights. It is one of the important pillars for the holistic development of children. Quality education helps foster their intellectual and physical capacities as well as their socio-emotional well-being as they develop to become active contributors in society.

The right to education has been explicitly enshrined in various international laws including Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 13 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Universally speaking, the right to education must be primarily ensured by the state. In the Philippines, the constitution and local policies promise the promotion and protection of the right of every Filipino, especially children, to education by taking all appropriate steps in making education accessible.

However, most Filipino children have been deprived of this right primarily due to the government’s meager budget allocation and privatization of education. Marginalized peasants and indigenous peoples are the ones far more neglected. The historic abandonment of the government in providing education to the poor and marginalized has pushed lumad communities in Mindanao to persevere in order to educate themselves and their children.

In partnership with different cause-oriented organizations and church institutions, the lumad communities set up their own schools. In Mindanao, there are already 146 lumad community schools that provide education to indigenous communities in Mindanao.

However, in addition to the neglect of the government in ensuring the children’s access to quality education, lumad community schools and public schools (day care, elementary and high schools) located in the hinterlands are now facing the terror brought by military operations under the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bayanihan.

Under Article X, Sec. 22 of Republic Act 7610 or The Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination, military use of schools, hospitals and rural health units for military purposes such as command posts, barracks, detachments, and supply depots is prohibited. Attack on schools and hospitals, is also one of the six (6) grave child rights violations according to the United Nations. Despite such provision and policy, elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) blatantly use/attack schools and communities during military operations. Soldiers utilize schools as temporary military camps, barracks/shelter, storage of weapons and belongings or as outposts.

Students, teachers and community members live in an unprecedentedly harsh and dangerous environment with the presence of military in schools and communities. Early exposure to violence is one of the alarming and threatening consequences of military attacks on schools. Last March 2012, elements of the 85^th Infantry battalion occupied an elementary school in Lopez, Quezon wherein grade school students were encouraged to watch films showing the bloody encounters of the AFP against armed groups.

The sound of gunshots and bombs and the mere presence of soldiers carrying high powered ammunitions in their schools are very disruptive. Classes are often suspended whenever there are military operations and once classes resume, children’s attendance and concentration are affected due to extreme fear of being hurt by military operations.

Aside from the trauma and culture of violence instilled by state forces, destruction of school properties and other relevant educational materials were also recorded. In San Miguel, Las Navas, Samar, elements of the 34^th Infantry battalion permanently used the day care center and the barangay health center and church as military quarters. Children complained about the foul odor coming from the walls of the day care center as the soldiers were using it as their urinal.  They also used parts of its wall as firewood leaving the infrastructure unsafe and unpleasant.

Despite the effort of different concerned organizations in bringing the issue to the government, including series of dialogues between Save Our Schools Network and Department of Education (DepEd) National Office since 2012, military attacks on schools continue.  In Mindanao alone, SOS Network has documented 20 Dep Ed schools attacked and/or used by AFP while 214 cases of military attacks on lumad community schools were listed; majority of these cases took place in 2013 and 2014.

The following are some of the documented cases illustrating how children’s right to education is violated by the state armed forces:

• Military encampment in the Salugpongan Ta’Tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center Inc. (STTICLCI) in Sitio Km. 30, Brgy. Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao del Norte by elements under the 60^th Infantry Division – Philippine Army. The soldiers stayed both in the school and the teachers’ staff house from March 26-30, 2014. Because of military encampment, the teachers and the whole community decided to postpone the school’s first ever moving up and recognition ceremony.

• Military encampment in the STTICLCI school in Purok 12, Sitio Nasilaban, Brgy. Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao del Norte which happened from April 1-12, 2014. Currently, elements of the 68^th Infantry Battalion are encamping near Nasilaban Elementary School and STTICLCI.

 

(NOTE: The military operations and encampment in schools and communities in Talaingod resulted to forcible evacuation of thousands of Manobos last March and April.)

• In Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology (CFCST) in Arakan Valley poblacion, North Cotabato, troops of the 10^th Special Forces and the 57^th IB freely went in and out of the school in full uniform and carrying firearms, playing basketball and using the internet, while openly vilifying progressive student groups.
• Kalasagan Elementary School in Brgy. San Isidro, Lupon, Davao Oriental was occupied by the 28^th IB and the 2^nd Scout Rangers; the Barangay Hall, Health Center, community chapel, basketball courts and some homes were likewise occupied.
• Last October 27, soldiers burned a school after they ransacked and stole the supplies of a community cooperative store in Kabulohan, Brgy. Buhisan, San Agustin, Surigao del sur. The community members who shouted at the soldiers and ran toward the school to put out the fire were even indiscriminately fired at by the military. Another school building with two classrooms of the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur was also burned in Sitio Kabalawan.

An increase in the number of such incidents was noted after the DepEd has issued Memorandum 221, series of 2013 or Guidelines on the Protection of Children During Armed Conflict that contains guidelines for school officials and DepEd supervisors on how to deal with military units entering schools.  The said memo has adopted the AFP Directive 25 or Guidelines on the Conduct of AFP Activities Inside or Within the Premises of School or Hospital and in essence, supported the military use of schools and the violation of children’s right to education.

According to both DepEd Memo 221 and AFP Letter Directive 25, military elements are allowed to conduct “civil-military operations” such as public fora, symposiums and medical missions inside schools as long as the AFP has requested, through a written request and school authorities gave their approval.

We believe that both guidelines, given its rigid procedures and legalities, is a blatant violation of Philippine laws protecting children as well as international laws. Allowing military presence in educational institutions increases risks for children. The DepEd memo 221 is but a license for the AFP to deliberately attack schools, particularly those schools located in conflict areas and/or communities maliciously tagged as rebel-stronghold.

On the other hand, there are problematic provisions in the AFP Directive 25 that may be subjected to abusive interpretations of the military. Guideline No. 7, for example, states that “If there is a need for the force protection unit(s)/personnel to be inside the school, due to exigencies of the prevailing security situation and/or activity and/or request, they must be deployed and limited/contained to the pre-identified/pre-approved within the school/hospital premises. The provision is unclear on who will determine the presence of the ‘need for force protection units.

Soldiers are also authorized to take photos and video footages of military activities in schools which violates the right to privacy and may lead to surveillance of schools in the guise of documentation.

Protecting children in mind, we are urging the Department of Education as the primary agency duty-bound to ensure the enjoyment of children of their right to education, to:

1. Immediately revoke the Department of Education Memorandum 221;
2. Issue a memorandum that clearly prohibits all forms of military operations inside schools or near schools;
3. Investigate all cases of human rights violations perpetrated against the teachers and students and file cases against the perpetrators;
4. Declare lumad community schools as protected institutions to ensure the socio-cultural development of children.

Schools are supposed to be zones of peace. Schools are places where children get their education and development. The state being the primary duty bearer of the right to education should immediately act on this issue. Denying the right to education because of military encampments and attacks in various schools is the height of state abandonment.