Some eight barangays from Palawan are benefiting from the Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
“Sa taon pong ito walong barangay sa lalawigan ng Palawan ang nagpapatupad ng mga BDP projects. Sa susunod na taon, mayroon pong 54 dito sa Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), 35 sa Palawan (This year, eight barangays in Palawan are now implementing BDP projects. Next year, there will be 54 in Mimaropa, with 35 for Palawan),” National Security Adviser and NTF-ELCAC vice chairperson Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said during his visit to the Regional Task Force (RTF)-ELCAC 4-B in Puerto Princesa, Palawan last November 4.
Esperon said for 2022, around 1,406 barangays from various parts of the country will be benefiting from the BDP.
“Alam po ninyo iyong 1,406 na barangay ay inaprubahan na ni Pangulong Duterte noong bang Marso sa Tacloban at ipinalagay niya sa National Expenditure Program (NEP) sa halagang PHP28.1 billion. Kasi, PHP20 million per barangay (You know, those 1,406 barangays were already approved by President Duterte last March in Tacloban and included in the NEP with the sum of PHP28.1 billion. This because each barangay will be allocated PHP20 million (for their BDP projects),” he added.
The PHP20 million allocated per barangay will be spent for BDP core projects like farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation systems, livelihood programs, and health stations.
Esperon said this initiative is supported by the League of Provinces of the Philippines and the League of Municipalities.
“Sinulatan nila ang Senado. Aprubado na ito sa House of Representatives (They already have written to the Senate. It (BDP) is already approved by the House of Representatives),” he added.
He also clarified that the BDP is only part of Duterte’s key programs like free irrigation, improved Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), ‘Build, Build, Build’, free tuition fee, universal health care, anti-illegal drugs, anti-crime, anti-graft, and corruption campaigns.
Esperon also lauded the Palawan provincial government headed by Governor Jose Alvarez for spearheading development initiatives in the province even before the creation of the NTF-ELCAC.
He was referring to the Regional Peace and Order Council, the precursor of the NTF-ELCAC in the province that was started by Alvarez.
Esperon added that the NTF-ELCAC has grown stronger with the help of the 17 RTFs.
Each RTF is headed by one Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS).
The CORDS for Mimaropa is Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
“Kaya sa lakas ng NTF-ELCAC sa organisasyon at saka gawain, gusto lang natin ipaalam at ipaalala sa mga communist terrorists na nangangarap pa rin na magtatagumpay sila, nasa sa panahon ng 2016 hanggang 2021, mayroon nang 1,953 na nasawi sa labanan sa hanay nila (And due to the organizational strength and efforts of the NTF-ELCAC, we would like to remind all terrorist communists who are dreaming of victory that from 2016 to 2021, around 1,953 of their ranks were killed in encounters with the military),” he added.
Aside from battle losses, Esperon said 3,844 New People’s Army (NPA) regulars and 19,000 mass-based supporters, militia, underground mass organization members have surrendered due to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) along with some 2,573 assorted firearms.
Another victory for the government side, he said, is the neutralization of Jorge Madlos alias “Ka Oris” who was killed in an encounter in the hinterlands of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon last October 30.
Madlos is also the commander of the NPA’s National Operations Command, directing the operations of the communist terrorists nationwide.
“At kaya naman sa mga operations na ito, wala ng Guerilla Front sa Palawan eh. Inuubos ni Governor eh. At alam ko iyong dalawang Guerilla Front dito sa Mimaropa ay mahina na. Takbo nang takbo. Alam natin na nasa Mindoro sila ngayon baka bukas tatakbo na naman (And due to these operations, there are Guerilla Fronts in Palawan. The Governor is quickly eliminating them and I knew that the two Guerilla Fronts in Mimaropa are already weak due to their constant running. We knew that they are in Mindoro now, maybe tomorrow, they will run again (to another place),” Esperon said.
The BDP is the hallmark program of the NTF-ELCAC with the end goal of bringing development to former Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA conflict-affected and geographically isolated communities.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)