PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to increase the allocation for the Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), National Security Adviser Eduardo Año yesterday said.
Año said the President wants barangays covered by the BDP to get P10 million each, as he found the current allocation of P2.5 million each “small.”
Under the 2024 General Appropriations Act, the BDP budget is P2.6 billion.
“The President said that the P2.5 million per barangay is small. He said ‘We have to do more. We have to do better than that. We will try to reach P10M per barangay.’ The President has directed the Cabinet to increase the financial support to the 846 BDP barangays for 2024,” Año said in a briefing after the 5th NTF ELCAC Executive Committee Meeting held in Malacañang.
Año also said that Marcos directed the DBM to allow the 846 barangays to access the Financial Assistance to Local Government Units (FALGU) to enable them to fund their farm to market roads and water system and sanitation projects this year.
“The Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management will crunch the numbers and work out the immediate implementation of the President’s directive,” Año said, adding that the President also directed the NTF-ELCAC to propose specific programs and projects for continuous implementation of projects for the 5,430 barangays that have been part of the BDP program since its inception.
The BDP, a program under the NTF-ELCAC, was established with the end goal of bringing development to conflict-affected communities.
Año said P30.4 billion have already been allocated to the BDP programs that benefited 4,501 barangays nationwide that have been cleared of NPA influence.
Meanwhile, Año said the President has ordered the immediate implementation of the amnesty program for former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and its front organizations.
The Senate has concurred with the proclamations orders on the amnesty granted to former rebels and members of different armed groups, paving the way for the enforcement of the program.
Año said an initial 1,500 former CPP-NPA members have already signified their intention to apply to the amnesty program.
Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., expects the number to go up, adding that there are about 40,000 former rebels who had already surrendered to the government and are eligible to apply for the amnesty.
Galvez said they are now organizing its 17 regional local amnesty boards which will process the applications for amnesty and expects the granting of amnesty to former rebels within the year.
NTF-ELCAC Executive Director and Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said the government’s halfway houses, where former rebels were de-radicalized and were taught necessary skills for their reintegration to mainstream society, will also be converted into peace centers to expedite the processing and granting of amnesty.
Año said Duterte stayed throughout the meeting which also included discussions on a proposed 2024-2028 NTF ELCAC Roadmap.
The President had ordered the Cabinet to study the proposed roadmap which aims to address the primary cause of communist armed conflict, ensure former rebels are integrated to the community and contribute to nation building, and to ensure a path to unity, peace and development during the term of the Marcos administration.
Galvez said they have already explained to Vice President Sara Duterte and members of Congress that amnesty is for former members who have already surrendered and does not include those who are still in the mountains or those already in jails.
Año said there are still more than 1,576 NPA rebels and 1,406 firearms.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner said they have issued deadlines to ground commanders to stomp out the remaining weakened guerilla fronts which include the NPA and some local terrorist groups.
