Drive vs extremism lauched
DAVAO ORIENTAL – AN advocacy program aimed to serve as a major offensive to counter violent extremism was launched on July 11 in Barangay Bobon, Mati City.
The program, dubbed as “Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Advocacy” took off during the “Nagkakaisang Lingkod-Bayan ng Davao Oriental Barangay Outreach Caravan,” a regular program in the province.
Students of the Bobon National High School, who were the advocacy program’s first audience, positively responded saying they will use what they have learned as leverage to shun extremist ideologies and radical influences.
Amid the security issues in the country, the Provincial Government is geared to focus on violence prevention through education.
“The program currently targets the youth as the primary recipients of the campaign as they are the most vulnerable sector to radical influences due to peer pressure and the burgeoning social media,” the provincial government said in a statement.
The province is also looking at expanding the campaign to other sectors such as the women sector, being recognized for their role in upholding values in the family; the Indigenous Peoples’ Community; and the Jama’ah (Muslim community in a barangay or sitio) as a strong institution with direct influence on its members.
The datu and imam, who lead the 122 Jama’ah all over the province, are considered among the key actors to propagate the campaign to their communities.
Overall Datu of Mati City Nestor Vicente lauded the campaign urging everyone to be vigilant by reporting to the authorities all suspicious elements lurking in their community.
The campaign also intends to break the notion of Muslims being associated with violence and extremism.