MANILA – The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has expressed respect for the decision of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) to step away from the task force’s Executive Committee. This decision, according to NTF-ELCAC’s executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., is seen as an internal matter of COCOPEA.
Despite the withdrawal, Torres emphasized that COCOPEA continues to support the overarching goals of NTF-ELCAC, which include fostering unity, peace, security, and socioeconomic development. COCOPEA had previously cited the need to protect academic freedom and its role in democracy as reasons for leaving the task force.
Torres highlighted that while COCOPEA has withdrawn from the Executive Committee, it remains committed to collaborating with NTF-ELCAC on initiatives that align with their mutual objectives. He stressed the importance of distinguishing between formal membership and ongoing cooperation.
The NTF-ELCAC values its relationship with the private education sector, particularly in promoting academic freedom, preventing radicalization, and ensuring that education serves as a foundation for peace and national development. Torres reiterated the task force’s dedication to combating violent extremism and the manipulation of young students into armed conflicts.
Looking ahead, Torres affirmed that NTF-ELCAC will maintain strong ties with COCOPEA and other educational bodies that share its vision of creating safe, secure, and development-focused educational environments for Filipino students.