BDP should be seriously sustained, says N. Samar board member

From the Philippine Information Agency (May 19, 2021): BDP should be seriously sustained, says N. Samar board member (By Ailene N. Diaz) 

CATARMAN, Northern Samar, May 19 (PIA) -- The Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) should be seriously sustained.

This was the strong statement expressed by Provincial Board Member Florencio “Fawa” Batula, chair of the Peace and Order Committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, former PNP Regional and Provincial Advisory Council chair and an advocate of peace and development.

“I am thankful to the national government for correctively looking its best solution in addressing insurgency problem and attain sustainable peace and development through the Barangay Development Program tailored from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s EO 70,” said Batula.

“With the limited resources and IRA of LGUs, definitely, they cannot afford to give its 100 percent solution to insurgency concern which subsequently is the root cause of poverty.”

“With the BDP, all recipient barangays are empowered to exercise their leverage to identify what really is the priority needs of the barangay and its constituents and implement such accordingly,” Batula further said.

“The BDP that provide funds for the barangays influenced by the NPAs, should be seriously sustained backed by local government units being the main actors in the implementation of every phase of RCSP processes. The whole-of-nation approach of EO 70 must be observed,” Batula reiterated.

The provincial government under the stewardship of Governor Edwin Marino Ongchuan is in full support of the national program NTF-ELCAC, in fact, the Local Social Integration Program initiated by the provincial government is in full swing and working hand-in-hand with the E-CLIP of the national government, geared towards strengthening the implementation of ELCAC at the local level.

Quoting Mother Theresa, BM Batula shared, “We cannot end war by thousand of bombs but by love and compassion.” (ADiaz/PIA, N. Samar)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1075601