THE National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) has designated the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) as co-leads of its grassroots development and empowerment cluster, placing Indigenous peoples and basic sectors at the center of the government’s peace and development initiatives.
The designation of NCIP Chairman Nancy Alaan Catamco and NAPC Lead Convenor Secretary Lope Santos III was formalized during the Sectoral Unification, Capacity Building, Empowerment, and Mobilization Cluster Meeting held at the PSR Compound in Manila.
The leadership transition transfers the cluster’s stewardship from Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Marlo Iringan to the NCIP and NAPC.
NTF-Elcac Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. said the move aims to strengthen citizen participation and community ownership in peace-building efforts.
“Peace is sustained not only through security interventions but through empowered communities, responsive governance, and meaningful participation by every sector of society,” Torres said in a statement.
"By designating the NCIP and the NAPC to lead the Sucbem Cluster, we are bringing the voices of Indigenous peoples and the country's basic sectors directly into the center of our peace and development agenda. This strengthens community ownership of the peace process and ensures that government interventions remain inclusive, responsive and sustainable," he added.
The expanded leadership structure supports the government’s whole-of-nation approach by increasing the participation of grassroots communities, Indigenous peoples and marginalized sectors in sustaining peace and development gains.
Catamco, a former governor of North Cotabato and former member of Congress, is expected to strengthen engagement with Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
Meanwhile, Santos will help integrate anti-poverty and social development programs into peace-building initiatives.
As NAPC lead convenor, he represents 14 basic sectors, including farmers, fisherfolk, workers, women, youth, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and Indigenous peoples.
The NTF-Elcac Secretariat said the move reflects the government’s recognition that lasting peace must be anchored on social justice, inclusive development, citizen empowerment and community participation, alongside security measures.
The designation also supports the implementation of Memorandum Circular 83, which adopted the National Action Plan for Unity, Peace and Development (NAP-UPD) 2025-2028 as the country’s roadmap for consolidating peace gains and promoting development in conflict-affected communities.
Under the NAP-UPD, government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, faith-based groups, academic institutions and the private sector are aligned under three strategic pillars: Unity, Peace and Security, and Socioeconomic Development.
Torres said the appointment of Catamco and Santos reflects the continuing evolution of the whole-of-nation approach from a conflict-management framework into a broader nation-building strategy focused on citizen participation and community resilience.
"As we move forward, our goal is not merely to end armed conflict but to build stronger communities, expand opportunities, empower citizens, and ensure that every Filipino sector becomes a stakeholder in peace and development," Torres said.
