48 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic 188 Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the decadeslong accord with the University of the Philippines (UP) that prevented state forces from entering its campuses without notifying the school administration was “terminated”. 189 Secretary Lorenzana justified ending the accord by citing reported in-campus recruitment activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army – which the Duterte government declared as a terrorist organization as it cracks down on activists and critics. The UP campuses have been a refuge for student activism since the 1980s. This was a result of a long history of student disappearances and killings that took place within the vicinity of the campuses during the time. With the termination, the Duterte government further shrinks the space for protest, which rights defenders have repeatedly flagged as under siege with the President’s strongman rule.167 190 The House of Representatives has unanimously approved the final reading of House Bill No. 10171, or the Act Institutionalizing the 1989 University of the Philippines-Department of National Defense Accord. Police and military forces will not be permitted to enter any UP campus without prior notice. They are also prohibited in interfering with peaceful protests held by individuals or groups in any UP campus. This bill will ensure the right to procedural due process to any members of the university; protecting the UP campuses from intervention of law enforcement, harassment and intimidation.168 191 The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) signed an agreement with the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines to expand the national government’s capacity to vaccinate more Filipinos by repurposing 17 universities and colleges as vaccination sites. The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) pointed out that the government and CHED should focus on fulfilling the requisites for the gradual and safe resumption of in-person classes instead. 192 The Department of Education issued DepEd Order No. 012, s. 2020 while the Commission on Higher Education issued CHED Memorandum Order 04 Series of 2020 emphasizing the provision of learning opportunities to students through flexible or blended learning modalities, among which is the use of digital technology like the internet. Thus, some schools adopted online learning so as not to disrupt the delivery of education services.169 193 In Bukidnon, there are indigenous schools run by the Mindanao Interfaith Service Foundation, Inc. (MISFI) which caters to students living in the hinterland. These schools were alleged to be linked with the NPA where students are taught left-leaning ideologies and are being recruited to the left-leaning group.170 194 On 01 October 2015, the Fr. Fausto Tentorio Memorial School which was owned and operated by MISFI at Sitio Dao, White Culaman, Kitaotao, Bukidnon, was ordered closed by the Barangay Captain Felipe Cabugnason. Barangay Captain Cabugnason alleged that the school was an NPA school. The Department of Education (DepEd) has stopped Barangay Captain Cabugnason from closing the said school and reminded him that he has 167 Talabong, Rambo, January 18, 2021. Duterte government ends 1989 deal barring troops from UP, Rappler. Accessed last January 19, 2021 at https://www.rappler.com/nation/duterte-government-ends-department-national-defenseuniversity-philippines-accord-january-2021 168 CNN Philippines. (2021, October). House OKs bill institutionalizing UP-DND accord. https://cnnphilippines.com/ news/2021/9/21/House-passes-UP-DND-accord-bill.html 169 Commission on Human Rights Regional Office VIII. (2021, August). Regional Human Rights Situation Report January to June 2021. 170 Commission on Human Rights Regional Office X. (2021, July). Regional Situation Report 1st Semester 2021 Commission on Human Rights 10.