THE COORDINATING Council of Private Educational Associations (Cocopea) has joined the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), saying it wants to promote “unity and peace” and “elevate the quality of education” in the Philippines.
On Nov. 8, Cocopea, the largest network of private schools in the country representing at least 1,500 educational institutions, was announced as the new member of the government’s anti-insurgency task force.
Cocopea is an umbrella organization of several associations: the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities, the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities, the Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges, and Universities, Unified TVET of the Philippines, and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
In an interview with the Varsitarian, Cocopea Chair and CEAP President Fr. Albert Delvo explained that the partnership aims to create conducive learning environments, particularly in rural areas.
Delvo said the current iteration of the NTF-Elcac had shifted from a militaristic approach to insurgency and now focuses on peace-building and unity.
“The NTF-Elcac today is not the same task force people knew before,” he said. “This is now about unity—genuine unity—and peace, not about a military strategy to counter insurgency or any kind of violence,” said the cleric from Novaliches diocese.
NTF-Elcac Director Ernesto Torres Jr. touted the partnership with the Cocopea as one that would enhance the task force’s information campaign against what he described as the “terror grooming” of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) in schools.
Delvo said the Cocopea had accepted the invitation to join the NTF-Elcac’s executive committee because it also aimed to foster peace and unity and promote development in rural areas.
“In a way, we’re protecting our students, and we want every student enrolled in our universities, colleges, and basic education institutions to be safe, healthy, engaged, supported, and challenged to become the better version of themselves,” he said.
“So, given [the] data, information, and initiatives, who can really say no to the invitation?”
No more red-tagging?
Before accepting the invitation, Delvo said Cocopea had established clear boundaries with NTF-Elcac: no red-tagging, and there should be respect for academic freedom, human rights, and the protection of life, even of rebels.
“Red-tagging will just create a culture of mistrust and suspicion,” he said. “But this is not what we are trying to advance. Suspicion is not the way forward.”
“The way forward is mutual trust and give the opportunity for the students and also the school administration and faculty members to have that discerning mind and discerning heart,” he added.
Delvo also addressed concerns that Cocopea might be supporting NTF-Elcac’s contentious policies, particularly its history of red-tagging progressive groups, personalities, and even Church-linked organizations.
“I assure the public, as well as all students enrolled in private educational institutions, as well as those students enrolled in SUCs and LUCs, not to be alarmed about this,” he said.
“If there are elements in our school campus, there’s a red-tagging case, let us know. Document that; bring that to our attention.”
NTF-Elcac was established in 2018 under the Duterte government to implement a “whole-of-nation approach” to achieving inclusive and sustainable peace. with reports from Sydney Venice V. Berba
