By Liza Soriano
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa expressed his willingness to advocate for the Department of Education’s confidential funds, with the caveat that he is not ardently pursuing this cause.
On Monday, Dela Rosa stated that he would not vigorously defend DepEd’s confidential funds unless he garners substantial support from his colleagues, including Senate leadership.
“I will assess the level of support, including that of the Senate leadership, which will significantly influence our efforts during the plenary session,” Dela Rosa remarked. “However, it’s important to note that I am not fully committed to this cause.”
He further explained, “My primary concern is the missed opportunity to completely halt the recruitment of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army within our educational institutions.”
The House of Representatives has recently removed the P150 million allocation for DepEd’s confidential funds.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa underscored that the Department of Education is the most suitable agency to address the issue of student recruitment.
“If you wish to address the recruitment of students in educational institutions, then you must involve the appropriate agency, which is DepEd,” he emphasized.
(ai/mnm)
