Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Monday slammed ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro for blaming her for the almost 3-million drop in target enrollment for the school year 2023-2024.
Based on the Department of Education’s Learner Information System (LIS), the total number of enrolled students as of Sept. 6 is 25.9 million only, three million short of DepEd’s 28.8-million enrollment target for the school year 2023-2024.
Castro then called on Duterte to "concentrate more on this problem rather than the surveillance of their perceived enemies."
Speaking before an event in Davao City, the Vice President said protest rallies are to be blamed for the drop in the target enrollment.
"Tapos sasabihin ni France Castro "Oh tignan niyo, kulang ng 2 million ang enrollment ng DepEd. Tanungin niyo si Inday Sara nasaan ang 2 million learners ng Department of Education kasi hanggang ngayon kulang," Duterte said in her keynote speech during the opening of the three-day Peace Village Exhibit at SM City Davao.
Duterte went on to say that the lawmaker should not be asking her that question as she “did not kidnap” those kids.
"Pahanap niya sa akin ang mga bata na para bang kinuha ko ang mga bata na iyan kung saan-saan," she said.
"Pinapahanap niya sa akin iyang 2 million na para bang kinidnap ko yang lahat at ayaw ko sila mag-aral."
The Education Secretary also mentioned Castro's previous case where he together with former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo and 16 other individuals transported 14 minors on Nov. 28, 2018, from Talaingod, Davao del Norte to “rescue” them from harassment by the paramilitary group Alamara and the military during a National Solidarity Mission.
"Take note, hindi ako iyong may kaso ng kidnapping, hindi ako iyong may kaso ng human trafficking, si France Castro kinuha niya iyong mga bata diyan sa Talaingod kasi ililipat niya doon sa Manila para magrally," she continued.
"We should expose the lies employed by the terrorists to survive," Duterte said.
