Koronadal City – The Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF- ELCAC) XII convened on June 26, 2020 thru online video conferencing. The meeting was presided by the Chairperson, TESDA Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, who is also the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for the SOCCSKARGEN Region. The virtual meeting was  attended by 67% of the RTF regular members. In his opening message, Sec. Lapeña thanked everyone for remaining committed in delivering government services to the public, amidst the threat of COVID-19 pandemic. He further stressed the need to innovate and initiate new means of delivery of services, in line with the new normal. The CORDS expressed optimism and looked forward to seeing better results in the coming days.

One of the highlights of the 8th RTF ELCAC XII Meeting was the presentation of major accomplishments of the Task Force in implementing the whole-of-nation approach. TESDA XII RD Rafael Abrogar, II presented the said report which features the following accomplishments, (1) consultation-meeting with DENR Sec. Roy Cimatu to tackle the issue of overlapping tenurial instruments in Sultan Kudarat; (2) Intensified Implementation of Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP); (3) series of  Serbisyo Caravan conducted accross the region; (4) Harmonized Peace and Development efforts, wherein 100% of the LGUs in the region have an operational local task force for ELCAC; and (5) Institutionalization of communication strategy, via the RTF ELCAC XII Facebook page. 

The RTF ELCAC Secrtariat also presented a summary of the accomplishments of the various Lines of Efforts (LOEs)/Clusters of the task force for the period March – May 2020 and the milestones of the provincial, city, municipal and barangay task forces. Further, Atty. Salahuddin M. Serad of DOJ-ORP 12 presented the salient features of the Draft Anti-Terror Bill for the information of the body.

The meeting ended with the Task Force passing a total of 4 resolutions and Sec. Lapeña issuing 3 instructions, which requested the DENR XII to submit a status report on the issue of overlapping tenurial instruments and land conflict caused by the issuance of IFMA in Sultan Kudarat. (Charmaine Lou D. Mapa, NEDA XII -PDIPBD)