NTF-ELCAC grants P20-M dev’t fund for 215 villages in Region 11

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 24, 2021): NTF-ELCAC grants P20-M dev’t fund for 215 villages in Region 11 (By Che Palicte)

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (right) and Department of Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado. Esperon said Saturday (Jan. 23, 2021) some 215 barangays in the Davao Region will be given PHP20 million worth of funds for the Barangay Development Program under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. (PNA photo by Prexx Marnie Kate Trozo)

A total of 215 barangays in the Region 11 (Davao) will be given PHP20 million worth of funds for the Barangay Development Program (BDP) under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

In a press conference here on Saturday, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said of the 215 identified barangays, 82 are from this city, 65 in Davao de Oro, 32 in Davao Oriental, 23 in Davao del Norte, eight in Davao del Sur, and five in Davao Occidental.

Under the NTF-ELCAC, BDP is the flagship program of the Duterte administration for poverty alleviation and development in the context of addressing the root causes of insurgency, he said.

“We will fine-tune the rules of implementation and our target rollout date is on March 15 or even earlier than that,” he added.

The identified barangays have previously been cleared of the threat and influence of the communist terrorist group (CTG) from 2016-2019 through security operations and are ready for a package of development projects contained in the BPD.

“The concept of this program was approved in January last year as it was presented to the President and the members of his Cabinet. The fact that no less than the President himself chairs the NTF-ELCAC underscores the importance of this undertaking,” he said.

Esperon further said the program was intended to curb the recruitment of the New People’s Army (NPA) through holistic development projects that bridge the gap between the needs of the communities and accessibility.

“It intends to eradicate the root causes of insurgency, poverty, disease, lack of education and opportunities, and finally, social injustice. Allow me to reassure the public that the barangay recipients of the programs under the BDP were consulted and vetted through our stringent measures,” Esperon added.

The barangay recipients will spend the PHP20 million fund through the following programs and activities: farm to market roads by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Public Works and Highways -- PHP12 million; school buildings by the Department of Education -- PHP3 million; water and sanitation systems by Department of the Interior and Local Government --PHP2 million; and reforestation and national greening program of Department of Environment and Natural Resources and for health stations by the Department of Health -- PHP1.5 million each.

“It shall be implemented by the regional offices in coordination with the local chief executives. It will demonstrate a collaborative effort between various stakeholders both the national and local level,” he added.

Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said the budget will be downloaded to the barangays as soon as his office receives the complete documents with the requirements.

“President Duterte ordered me to fast-track the release of the fund so that the barangays can start implementing the projects,” he said.

Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang said they will adhere to the guidelines of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on the utilization of the fund.

“There will be barangay consultations as to what are their priority projects based on the guidelines given by DBM for the utilization of PHP20 million. We will make sure to prioritize what the community needs because we are focusing to address the insurgency problems,” Dayanghirang added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1128387