BY: AMOR Y. SALUDAR
Central Visayas, August 14 (PIA) ---- The Department of Education (DepEd-7) commits to intensify its campaign on 'Yes for Peace- Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan' among students.
In a recent press conference, Dr. Leah Apao of DepEd-7 says the department adopted the advocacy to keep track of the peace process all throughout the country.
Apao also noted the past State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Pres. Benigno Aquino III giving emphasis on the importance of implementing a transparent peace process and working on initiatives geared towards peace.
With this she added that DepEd-7 is committed to contribute to the nationwide target of involving 10 million students in the Bayanihan of the 'Yes for Peace' advocacy campaign through distribution of questionnaires that would answer the willingness of the students to contribute to a peaceful and harmonious Philippines.
Apao added that from August 12-September 15 this year, DepEd-7 is expected to finish the distribution of these questionnaires to students in Central Visayas ages 10 years above for them to be part of this Bayanihan or signature for peace.
“We need to have this response from our 10 million target students in Central Visayas we are aiming to reach at least 19 school divisions in the region,” she said.
Apao added that this year DepEd-7 is set to exert effort to tap 1,180,586 elementary students and the 455, 567 high schools students in Central Visayas.
Last year Central Visayas was able to gather 15 thousand signatures for the 'Yes for Peace' campaign through its massive implementation of the advocacy during the 2013 Palarong Pambansa held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
Based on records presented as of July 31 this year there are about 9,278,129 or 92.78% Kabayanihans or students who took part and express willingness to live a peaceful country through the 'Yes for Peace' Campaign.
“DepEd 7 is encouraging teachers and principals to support in the advocacy of the Yes for Peace, because this is for the students to experience an environment that is peaceful and free from conflict,” Apao concluded.
In 1988, Yes for Peace was just a students’ initiative of the University of the Philippines tagged as Di-Yes for Peace Bayanihan Para sa Kapayapaan on mobilizing a national consensus for peace.
Then it was being adopted by the government through the establishment of several peace seeking body and board. Some peace summit and peace talks were also anchored on this.
In 2002 marked the repackaging of the campaign into YES FOR PEACE – Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan, in which questions presented on the questionnaires distributed for students as target proponent were reformulated upon the suggestion and in cooperation with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Educational institutions specifically under DepEd and CHED committed to instill in the youths’ mind the importance of peace and its process. (mbcn/ays/PIA7)