NTF-ELCAC Executive Highlights Government’s Peace Agenda at UNAP Event

August 20, 2024

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s peace agenda focuses on advancing grassroots governance, protecting human rights, and encouraging civic groups like the United Nations Association of the Philippines (UNAP) to promote a unified and peaceful "Bagong Pilipinas," said Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Speaking at UNAP’s celebration of the UN Day of World Indigenous Peoples on August 12, 2024, at the Manila Clock Tower Museum, Torres emphasized the administration’s commitment to ending violence, resolving conflicts peacefully, and addressing the roots of the communist insurgency. He highlighted the President’s mantra of “peace, unity, and development.”

During the event, Director Alexander Umpar of NTF-ELCAC's Directorate for Production was among four UNAP awardees recognized for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in the Philippines.

UNAP, a non-sectarian, non-partisan organization founded in 1947, promotes the UN's ideals through advocacy and strategic partnerships across Philippine society, fostering global understanding, cooperation, and peace.

"As a nation that has endured armed conflicts for many decades, it is encouraging to see the government's unwavering commitment to peace," Torres said. "This commitment is evident in the government's consistent pursuit of understanding and its compassionate approach."

In a confidence-building measure with remnants of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), the government has re-entered exploratory talks with the NDF, focusing on abandoning armed struggle and advancing toward genuine peace and development, leading to the signing of the November 2023 Oslo Communique.

The event also marked the 25th International Youth Day and the 60th Anniversary of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Torres urged Filipino youth to be catalysts for peace, unity, and development.

“The youth are the lifeblood of our nation, with their passion, skill, and dedication driving positive change and serving as agents of peace," he said. "The role of Filipino youth in defending our freedom and democracy has been both foretold and demonstrated throughout our history.”

“I urge the youth to follow the example of our forefathers by embracing patriotism, nationalism, and a dedication to service," he added.

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NTF-ELCAC MEDIA BUREAU

Ref: Joel M. Sy Egco

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