Community Groups Rally at Batasan Against Youth Recruitment

QUEZON CITY — More than 600 individuals gathered in front of the House of Representatives in Batasan Hills on Tuesday afternoon, February 3, to call for stronger protection of youth against alleged recruitment by the Communist Party of the Philippines New People’s Army. The rally was led by Buklod Kapayapaan Federation Inc. and Hands Off Our Children Movement amid heightened public concern following the January 1 armed encounter  in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro.

The mobilization began at around 1 p.m., drawing parents, youth advocates, community leaders, and peace volunteers who urged lawmakers to address what they described as systematic efforts to influence and recruit young people into armed struggle. Protesters carried placards calling for accountability and warning against what they said were deceptive narratives used to draw youth into conflict.

Organizers said that the rally was in response to the January 1 armed encounter between government forces and NPA elements in Abra de Ilog, an incident that placed the province under national scrutiny. The issue gained wider attention after reports surfaced involving young individuals, including Jerlyn Rose Doyrdora, who died during the armed encounter, Filipino-American Chantal Anicoche and another student Stephanie Borinaga, whose presence in the area raised questions about recruitment, exposure to armed conflict, and the vulnerability of young people in insurgency-affected communities.

While authorities later announced that Anicoche was found alive during follow-up operations, BKFI and HOOCM said the situation highlighted a deeper and recurring problem. According to former rebels, youth recruitment often occurs gradually through political grooming, emotional manipulation, and misinformation, particularly in remote areas where access to education and livelihood opportunities is limited.

Buklod Kapayapaan said the protest also aimed to bring attention to its recently concluded NABANGANI fact-finding mission. The mission was initiated to uncover the truth surrounding the January 1 incident and document testimonies from the affected communities, families, and local leaders in Mindoro.

Noel Legaspi, president of Buklod Kapayapaan, also said that the mission sought to provide an evidence-based account of how young people were drawn into underground movements and how such recruitment affected families and community safety. They added that the findings were intended to inform public discourse and policy discussions rather than fuel political polarization.

Hands Off Our Children, the other lead organizer, emphasized the need to prioritize child protection and prevention. Annabelle Sabado warned during the rally that youth involvement in armed groups exposes minors and young adults to physical danger, psychological trauma, and long-term disruption of their education and future.

The rally also urged Congress to fast-track the passage of proposed legislation addressing terror grooming, alongside calls to strengthen existing laws and oversight mechanisms that protect children from recruitment. They pressed lawmakers to support community-based education programs that promote critical thinking and media literacy, with several speakers emphasizing that early intervention and close cooperation among families, schools, and local governments were critical in preventing youth from being drawn into armed groups.

The rally concluded with a call for continued vigilance and sustained community engagement. Organizers said the demonstration was part of a broader effort to ensure that youth are protected from armed conflict and that communities are empowered to resist recruitment through awareness, education, and collective action.