TWENTY-SIX barangays in Negros Occidental, including one in Bacolod City, are among the 86 barangays in Western Visayas cleared from communist influence.

These barangys are Banago in Bacolod City; Libertad, Mabini, Malasibog, Pinapugasan, Washington, Binaguiohan, Buenavista, Dian-ay, Rizal, Udtongan, Alimango, Japitan, Langub, and Paitan in Escalante City; Buluangan, Guadalupe, Nataban, Quezon, and Codcod in San Carlos City; Caduha- an in Cadiz City; San Pablo in Manapla; Canlusong, in E.B. Magalona; Estado and Gawahon in Victorias City; and Carabalan, Himamaylan City, all in Negros Occidental.

The declaration is contained in Resolution No. 01- 2020, passed by the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC).

The resolution was turned over by Juan Jovian Ingeniero, regional director of the Department of Interior and Local Government to Secretary Roy Cimatu, Cabinet officer for Regional Development and Security (Cords).

Initially, there were already 74 cleared barangays of Communist Terrorist Groups influence in the region endorsed to the National Task Force-End Local Communist and Armed Conflict.

A total of P1.48 billion had been allocated for the Barangay Development Program aimed at alleviating poverty, address social injustice, enhance agricultural production and improve the quality of life of the people to be implemented in 2021. It will come from the P16.44-billion national budget for the Barangay Development Program.

Each barangay will receive P20 million for its development projects like farm-to-market roads, barangay health centers, school buildings, universal healthcare, crops and livestock and fisheries.

Cimatu said there is a need to attain peace in communities deprived of much-needed government interventions that would improve peoples’ lives due to local armed conflict.

Barangay chairmen should be mobilized to lead this Barangay Development Program and involve the people, he said.