An Agusan Manobo child lets the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command in Panacan, Davao City know that military operations have affected the schooling of children in five barangays in Loreto, Agusan del Sur since the end of July. Around 1,000 Manobos including 300 children fled their villages for fear of hearing successive gunfire. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
By DAVAO TODAY Hanimay Suazo of Karapatan Southern Mindanao who was with the medical team coming from Davao said there was chaos as they wanted to talk to provincial government officials to calm down the situation, especially when the adults were contained later by the police away from the children awaiting them. “They still have not eaten, it was like they were placed in a concentration camp,” exclaimed Suazo.
An Agusanon lumad mother carries a child as they cross the river which is a boundary between Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley. This is an exodus of nearly a thousand Agusanons from the town of Loreto after military operations affected their barangays. (davaotoday.com photo by John Rizle L. Saligumba)
Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio (left) and ACT Mindanao coordinator Prof. Mae Templa bat for legislative reforms for the public school sector including salary upgrade, regularization of contractual teachers and increase in allocation education from the national budget (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)