CHED's De Vera affirms being new member of NTF-ELCAC

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Prospero de Vera III on Thursday said he is one of the newest members of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in charge of information dissemination in universities and colleges. 

De Vera made the confirmation during a hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations on the proposed CHED budget for fiscal year 2025, upon the questioning of Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel. 

“The list of agencies has been expanded, Madam Chair. Even in the previous administration. The additional members were sworn into office by the President recently,” De Vera told the panel.

“CHED is one of the additional members to the NTF-ELCAC, just like the secretaries of all major departments. That’s why I’m a member of the NTF-ELCAC,” he added. 

Manuel then asked De Vera regarding the legal basis or guidelines for CHED to become a member of NTF-ELCAC, saying he was “bothered” by the development. 

According to the lawmaker, the NTF-ELCAC did not publicize any amendments to the Executive Order (EO) 70 that created the task force in a bid to end local communist armed conflict in the country. It was signed in December 2018 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte. 

“Unfortunately, Madam chair, walang na-publicize na amendments o kahit anong supplemental guidelines ng EO 70. Kaya ang nangyari parang arbitrary or highly discretionary kung sino ang nagiging bahagi ng task force,” Manuel said. 

In response, De Vera explained that CHED’s mandate as a new member of NTF-ELCAC is information dissemination in the higher education institutions. 

“The NTF-ELCAC disseminates government programs and information to the students. Doon kami pumupuwesto sa (we are tasked with) information dissemination. Kung may mga request ang agencies or may mga activities na popondohan (if the agencies have requests or there are activities to be funded), we mobilize the higher education institutions to be venues for information dissemination of government agencies,” he said. 

In a message to GMA News Online, National Security Council (NSC) assistant director general Jonathan Malaya confirmed that heads of CHED, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) are the newest members of the NTF-ELCAC. 

He said they were added as members on April 4, during an executive committee meeting chaired by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

Malaya said all government agencies have a role to play to end the communist insurgency in the country, thus the additional members. 

“These agencies were added as approved by the President so I don’t understand how it can [be] considered arbitrary or discretionary. The guiding principle behind the NTF ELCAC is a whole of society approach to end Communist terrorism so it stands to reason that more government agencies will be added,” he said. 

“Why is Rep. Manuel so concerned about the membership of NTF-ELCAC. Doesn’t he want to end the more than 50 decades of communist insurgency?” 

Based on E0 70, the President of the Republic of the Philippines shall serve as chair of the NTF-ELCAC, while the National Security Adviser shall be the vice-chair. 

Members of the task force include the secretaries of the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Department of Budget and Management (DBM), among others. 

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, during a hearing in the Senate on Tuesday, said the recruitment efforts of the New People's Army (NPA) became active again under the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorate for Operations Police Colonel Randy Arceo also reported that 168 students were recruited to join communist-terrorist groups from 2014 to 2024. 

The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs will invite Manuel into its inquiry into the alleged continuous radicalization and recruitment of students in educational institutions to the NPA, which is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). —KBK, GMA Integrated News