TESDA Secretary designated as CORDS for NCR

September 11, 2023

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Suharto T. Mangudadatu has been designated as the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Secretary Mangudadatu replaced Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople who passed away on Aug. 22.

As CORDS, Secretary Mangudadatu is tasked to lead the Joint Regional Task Force (JRTF) -ELCAC NCR to oversee the peace and development efforts in the region.

His duty is to facilitate the management of the whole-of-nation approach and whole-of-government participation, and champion good governance in order to attain inclusive and sustainable peace.

The TESDA chief is also tasked to assist in articulating the region’s concerns and issues with the Office of the President, the Cabinet, other departments, and other government agencies and preside over joint meetings of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) and the Regional Development Council (RDC) to harmonize peace, security and development efforts in NCR.

“I am glad to be working with JRTF-ELCAC member agencies in the NCR and bring TESDA’s program and services closer to underserved and marginalized communities in the region,” Secretary Mangudadatu said.

“Let us continue to work together to protect our kababayans from the fake propaganda of communist terrorist groups (CTGs). Our sincere effort to serve our kababayans is our best weapon to shield them from the influence of the CTGs,” the TESDA chief added.

Established under Executive Order (EO) No. 70, s. 2018, the NTF-ELCAC operationalizes the whole-of-nation approach in defeating CTGs and obtaining sustainable and inclusive peace throughout the Philippines.