Datu Lipatuan Joel A. Unad, Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Conference for Peace and Development (MIPCPD) chairman. (PNA file photo)
DAVAO CITY -- A number of tribal leaders in Davao Region welcomed the decision of Department of Education in Region 11 (DepEd-11) to permanently close the Salugpungan Ta'tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center Inc. (STTICLCI).
DepEd-11 on Tuesday decided to close down 55 Salupungan schools in the region, three months after suspending the school management's license to operate for various violations and for its alleged links with the communist rebel movement.
Datu Lipatuan Joel A. Unad, chairman of Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Conference for Peace and Development (MIPCPD), said the decision of DepEd-11 would prevent indigenous peoples (IP) from being influenced with the New People’s Army (NPA) ideologies.
"We are so happy with the decision. We have longed this for a long time," Unad told the Philippine News Agency.
Lipatuan noted that it was their organization that first initiated a move to report the alleged dubious activities of the Salugpungan schools to Secretary Leonor Briones.
"We asked her (Briones) not to issue a permit to operate to these schools because it would deceive the parents and will be forced to enroll their child, thinking that it is run by DepEd," he said.
But Unad clarified the tribal leaders will allow learning institutions that seek to put up a school in their communities provided that they would follow DepEd’s regulations and standards.
"As long as they comply with the proper requirements such as community consultation, free prior and informed consent, and obtain a permit to operate from DepEd, we will gladly accept it,” he added.
He said the Salugpungan failed to give proper education to IP children, who he said were instead indoctrinated to the communist rebel movement.
"The respect to the elders and to the parents were totally erased in the minds of the children who were under these schools," he said.
"The parents were surprised upon seeing their child on television joining the rallies. The worst thing is that sometimes, parents would receive cadavers of their children who were killed in combat," he added.
Meanwhile, Datu Allan Irom Causing, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of Sto. Niño, Talaingod, Davao del Norte, said they initially welcomed the establishment of Salugpungan schools in their communities thinking their children would have better education.
Later on, Causing said they realized that the schools did not follow the curriculum of DepEd and even taught lessons that "destroyed" their culture.
"I thank DepEd for the decision. I was really worried when our children went to these schools. It appeared that they cannot proceed to the next grade level because they don't have proper documentations," he said.
DepEd-11 has assured that STTICLCI's closure would not affect its learners, who will be accommodated by DepEd-run schools near their areas.
In Davao Region alone, at least 33 DepEd-run schools are located adjacent to Salugpungan schools.
More than a thousand Salugpungan learners have already enrolled in various DepEd schools since STTICLCI's permit to operate was suspended in July. (PNA)
