The government’s counter-insurgency Barangay Development Program (BDP) will continue even amid this year’s national and local polls.

Monico Batle, director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said the anti-insurgency task force has sought exemption from the ban on public spending under the Commission on Election (COMELEC) Resolution No. 10747.

“Hindi po titigil yung implementation ng projects dahil po nag-request na tayo sa Comelec ng exemption ban. Ibig sabihin yung release of funds, yung delivery ng materials and equipment to and from project area and venue hindi po yan hihinto, tuluy-tuloy po iyan (The implementation of projects will not be halted because we already requested the Comelec to exempt us from the ban. That’s means the release of funds, delivery of materials and equipment to and from project area and venue will not be stopped, it will continue),” Batle said Thursday.

The Comelec resolution prohibits release, disbursement, or expenditures of public funds and construction of public works from March 25 to May 8.

“Ina-assure ko lang po yung ating mga kababayan na hindi po tayo covered ng election ban (I just want to assure you that we are not covered by the election ban),” Batle said.

He also said President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration is already preparing for the sustainability of the anti-insurgency projects and programs even the new government takes over after June 30 this year.

“At the national level, nag-prepare po tayo so kung ang mananalong presidente ay pabor sa NTF-ELCAC mas maganda, but kung yung susunod na pangulo hindi pabor sa NTF-ELCAC at barangay development program, naka-establish na po tayo ng sistema (We already prepared at the national level so if the winning president is in favor of the NTF-ELCAC then much better. But, we already have established a system just in case the next president is not in favor of the NTF-ELCAC and the barangay development program),” he said.

Batle said tasking for the BDP is already in place, which will be carried out by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Pati pondo. Hindi na pwedeng galawin ng susunod na pangulo or yung susunod na administration kasi downloaded na siya (And even the funds, it cannot be touched by the next president or the next administration, because it has already been downloaded),” he added.

He also assured that systems for monitoring, assessments and evaluations are likewise established to ensure that all projects and programs per barangay level are being pursued accordingly.

The move of the NTF-ELCAC is in response to the clamor of various conflict-affected communities benefitting from the anti-insurgency programs, such as BDP and the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), the task force’s whole-of-the-government approach to address development and security issues affecting former rebels and indigenous peoples within communist-infiltrated areas.

The NTF-ELCAC and its regional counterparts have been implementing BDP that aims to deliver various government projects to about 1,406 barangays nationwide identified as conflict-afflicted and geographically isolated villages that have been considered “cleared” from the influence of communist rebels.

Each barangay is entitled to PHP20 million worth of farm-to-market roads, classrooms, water and sanitation systems, health stations, and livelihood projects. (PNA)