BAGUIO CITY – The Provincial Police Office (PPO) in Kalinga province on Friday urged the youth to join the different government security force academic institutions not just to earn a bachelor’s degree but also to avoid any possible recruitment by rebel groups.
“That is among the topics of the police community relations engagements that our office is doing when they visit the communities. That is for their secured future, and I think we are succeeding in that part of protecting the youth from being misled by the group from the other side,” said Col. Gilber Fati-ig, Kalinga PPO director, in an interview on Friday.
He cited the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) and the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) among the government academic institutions that the youth can enrol in.
“Lahat ito libre ang pag-aaral at may allowance pa sila saka importante sa lahat, sigurado na ang trabaho nila pagka-graduate nila (They receive free education with allowance and they have a sure job after graduation),” Fati-ig said.
He added that enrolling in these academies would discourage them from joining left-leaning organization members.
“It is important that they finish a degree. We also have other government scholarships that can help them attain a good future and those are also shared when we do community engagements,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
At the recent PMA graduation, nine of the 23 Cordilleran graduates were from Kalinga. Cordillerans composed the most number of cadets for Class 2026.
There were also 20 PNPA who recently visited the province and five of them from Kalinga.
A graduate of the PNPA himself, Fati-ig, who hails from Tinglayan, said many of his province-mates in the service were also graduates of different government security force academies.
Fighting child abuse
Meanwhile in Baguio City, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) on Friday said they have rolled out a strategic roadmap to protect children and the youth and prevent future cases of child abuse.
CSWD officer Liza Bulayungan said they have made recommendations to better safeguard children in the community, with the goal of shifting from reactive care to proactive prevention.
The measures include: expanding the capacity of Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children to ensure early detection and intervention of abuse cases at the grassroots level, enhance community awareness campaigns by launching public education initiatives to increase knowledge on child abuse, establish clear reporting mechanisms, and promote available support systems.
Also included are measures for the improvement in the support for families at risk through financial assistance, counseling and education to at-risk families to address underlying socio-economic challenges as well as collaboration with schools and non-government organizations to build safer environments and advocate for children’s rights.
The CSWDO said it continues to monitor statistics to evaluate current social welfare interventions and strengthen community-level child protection programs in collaboration with other offices and agencies, including the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and the Philippine National Police.
Records show there were 33 cases of child abuse in the city from January to March this year.
Non-incest rape was the most prevalent type of abuse. Other abuses include physical abuse, acts of lasciviousness, incest rape, emotional abuse, sexual molestation, neglect and child labor.
Biological fathers, neighbors and friends, employer, family driver, uncle, suitor, grandmother’s common-law partner, a maternal grandmother were among the abusers.
Most of the victims belonged to the 12–15 age group, followed by the 16–17 age group, 9–11 age group, and under 8 years old.
There were also 48 cases involving Children in Conflict with the Law during the first three months of 2026.
The CSWDO said the city government continues to emphasize rehabilitation over detention. Currently, all 48 minor offenders have been placed back with their families to maintain a supportive home environment.
In terms of intervention, 46 of the youth are undergoing community-based intervention programs monitored by social workers, while two remain under active monitoring.
Bulayungan said the approach aligns with the city’s long-term strategy.
She said majority of juvenile cases were successfully managed through community-based interventions and family reintegration rather than institutional confinement. (PNA)