At the two-day Mindanao IP leaders’ congress in Davao, President Rodrigo Duterte made a bold statement and told lumad parents they need not worry about sending their children to college as the government would now cover the cost of their education to be able for their children to go to whichever schools or universities they choose in the future.
“If you want your child to go to Ateneo or La Salle or my school, San Beda, go ahead. Whoever want to do that, it’s free,” President Duterte said in a speech delivered before some 1,000 lumads attending the two-day Mindanao IP leaders’ congress.
Duterte said it was not impossible now for any lumad family to dream of “having a doctor or a lawyer” because there would be free education. “That’s how helping each other should be,” he added.
Duterte pointed out that lumad women can start learning new skills without worrying for their small children.
“Here in Davao, I have child minding (centers). Those who have to work but did not have nannies can always leave their children there,” he said.
On top of this, the head of the nation reminded them that it was also important for them to dissociate from communist rebels. “Do not look for war, it has not given you anything at all,” he added.