TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 28 (PIA) -- The national government is ready to spend P20 million for each of insurgency-cleared barangays and P1.5 miilion for each threatened ones.
This was learned during the special meeting of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF ELCAC) in Eastern Vissayas on January 23 at the DILG Regional Office 8.
No less than the National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. attended the meeting with the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) 8, Secretary Eduardo del Rosario and the members of the RTF ELCAC 8.
Esperon said the proposed budget for threatened barangays will address the much needed projects like water system, barangay centers, repair of schools, support to livelihood programs, fishery projects, road openings and agriculture support.
As to the P20-M per cleared barangay, the amount could provide for farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation system projects, National Greening Program, health stations, electrification, agri projects, TESDA training, and the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) connectivity projects.
The National Security Adviser said that in the country, there are some 842 insurgency-cleared barangays which will need some P16.84 billion and 2,793 threatened barangays to need some P4.189 billion.
Esperon said that President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the budget in principle.
CORDS 8 Secretary Del Rosario also urged the local government units to deliver the basic social services so that the people can feel the government's presence.
"If we do that, the support of the masses will be given to us," Del Rosario said.
Gov. Ben Evardone of E. Samar and Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan who were present in the meeting, proposed some measures to end insurgency.
Evardone asked that barangays in Eastern Samar be given access roads.
Ongchuan asked that former rebels be given homes in Northern Samar.
In the same meeting, the 8th Infantry Division Commander Pio Diñoso requested to bring the two battalions back to Samar to assist them in their peace and security operations.
The 8th ID Commander compared Samar to Sulo, saying that Samar is 13 times bigger than Sulo but there are only six army battalions while Sulo has 12.
To this, Esperon reacted positively.
While CORDS Del Rosario commended the RTF ELCAC 8 for being the third most active in the different activities and for its active engagement with other partners, Secretary Esperon praised RTF-ELCAC for being the most active RTF-ELCAC Viber Group.
"We are on the right direction, let us synchronize and harmonize our efforts in the barangays," Esperon urged the LGUs and the heads of the national government offices present in the meeting.
For his part, Del Rosario also commended the Regional TF ELCAC 8.
"Ipagmalaki, ipagyabang not only in organizing but in the conduct of security and development operations," he said referring to the Regional Task Force.
Based on the army's report, the region has more or less 400 NPAs and 250 Militia ng Bayan operating mostly in Samar island.
The Task Force also reported of some 27 Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) immersed in the barangays weeding out the needed government intervention. (nbq/PIA 8-E. Samar)
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1033504
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