ATC - Program Management Center

“Let us help protect our youth from recruitment and radicalization. Safeguarding the youth is protecting the future of our peace. As such, we must endeavor to promote the Terror Grooming Prevention Bill.

We must actively seek partners who will support our cause in diluting the exploitation of youth and other vulnerable sectors by the Communist Terrorist Groups.”

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨 𝐌. 𝐀𝐧̃𝐨
National Security Adviser
Vice Chairperson, NTF-ELCAC

29 January 2026

The Anti‑Terrorism Council – Program Management Center (ATC‑PMC) held a two‑day workshop on 25–26 November 2025 at The Bayleaf Hotel, Intramuros, Manila, to develop the Manual on Responding to and Managing Terrorism Incidents (MRMTI).

The workshop gathered ATC members, support agencies, and partners to craft a unified, Anti‑Terrorism Act‑compliant interagency manual. This initiative fulfills the mandate of Republic Act No. 11479 (Anti‑Terrorism Act of 2020) by harmonizing fragmented and overlapping standard operating procedures across agencies.

The MRMTI aims to ensure a coordinated and effective national response to terrorism through a cohesive, legally compliant, and efficient framework, strengthening operational coordination, accelerating decision‑making, and enhancing public safety during terrorism‑related incidents and threats.

The Anti-Terrorism Council – Program Management Center (ATC-PMC) conducted its Information Awareness Caravan on 05–06 November 2025 at Police Regional Office 12 (PRO 12), General Santos City. The activity brought together law enforcement, military units, and local stakeholders for a shared discussion on the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE), Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) risk mitigation, and rights-based strategic communication. The Caravan underscored a clear message: national security must always be pursued in a manner that protects the rights and dignity of communities.
Undersecretary Bernardo C. Florece Jr., Executive Director of ATC-PMC, opened the activity by emphasizing Region 12’s growing importance in governance, commerce, and inter-regional cooperation. He noted that the Caravan aims to sustain the region’s progress by strengthening dialogue and improving coordination between agencies. He echoed Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin’s reminder that the duty of government is not only to protect the State, but to protect the people through lawful and accountable exercise of authority.
PBGen. Arnold P. Ardiente, Regional Director of PRO 12, welcomed the initiative and highlighted its value in equipping officers to implement the ATA responsibly and in line with human rights principles.
Expert-led sessions provided participants with practical, operational, and legal guidance on the human rights-based implementation of key ATA provisions, including punishable acts, surveillance and communication interception protocols, designation and proscription mechanisms, and Supreme Court rules on terrorism cases. A focused discussion on strategic communication emphasized the importance of careful messaging to avoid misinterpretation and to maintain public trust.