by Claro A. Lanipa
Pagadian City, Jan. 12 (PIA) – To sustain its commitment and active participation in the ‘Yes for Peace’ – Bayanihan Para sa Kapayapaan campaign, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued a Memorandum No. 277 addressed to all Bureau Directors, Regional Directors, School Division and City Superintendents, Heads of Public and Private Elementary and High Schools to extend full support to the campaign.
DepEd-9 Education Supervisor II Aurelio Santisas, who was task to coordinate this movement at the regional level, disclosed during the PIA’s weekly media forum held this week that said memorandum gives emphasis for the attainment of the objective of the campaign to at least encourage 10 million peace-loving Filipinos, 10 years and older to speak as one to provide a democratic people’s mandate for the comprehensive peace process particularly the permanent cessation of hostilities between the government and all rebels groups in 2012.
It was learned that DepEd has been involved in this campaign since 1996. In 1997, some 2,439,104 Filipinos participated in the movement from May 15 to September 16, 1997 while another 334,807 joined the October 10, 2008 to November 15, 2009 to the continuing peace education and advocacy campaign. To help establish people’s support for the ongoing peace process, the DepEd distributed 10, 000 copies of DepEd Memorandum No. 428, s. 2010 dated October 1, 2010. More or less 720,000 responses were generated.
Santisas said ‘Yes for Peace’-Bayanihan Para sa Kapayapaan questionnaires are now being circulated in all eight (8) school divisions in the region for the pupils and students to fill up indicating their support to the campaign. As per instructions, all responses shall be mailed to the DepEd regional office with free postage not later than the last week of January 2012.
He further said, the consolidated results of this campaign will be delivered to the Office of the President in time for the 26th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. On February 22, 2012 at exactly 10 o’clock in the morning all schools are encouraged to hold a simultaneous Panunumpa ng mga Kabayani para sa Kapayapaan, Santisas added.
Meanwhile, Alpha Phi Omega, Southern Zamboanga Alumni Association President Bel Yenko, lead convenor of this movement said, that APO has also been involved in the advocacy for ‘Yes for Peace’ since 1996 in conjunction with DepEd who is direct department of the government to encourage the students from grade four to fourth year high school to support in the campaign for peace.
DepEd-9 Chief, Secondary Education Division, Dr. Jaliha Sangkula, assured that DepEd will give its full support to the national and regionwide Yes for Peace campaign. She hopes that it is not only the DepEd people but we will also extend our campaign to the local government units through our collaborative efforts.
On the other hand, Sultan Maguid Maruhom, Muslim Convenor of the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace expressed his support to the movement or effort for the advocacy for peace. He said they studied the questionaires and found it leading to peace and justice which is also their dreams to achieve in this part of the country. He is confident that the civil society group including the interfaith will support this campaign. (PIA-9/CAL)
