THE National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has more than doubled its 2023 budget for Barangay Development Program (BDP) to P10 billion.
“Na-double sya from P4.6 billion last year (It has been doubled from P4.6 billion compared last year). So merong pundo for 2023 (we have allocated a fund), tinatanong lang namin yong DBM (Department of Budget and Management) kung magkano per barangay. Kasi last year P4 million lang per barangay so nagtanong ulit yong DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) sa mga barangay na e-re-prioritize [yong projects] kung ano lang yong magkakasya sa P4 million (we are just waiting an information from DBM if how much will be allocated for each barangays since last year we only allocated P4 million for each barangay then the DILG advised that the barangay officials should re-prioritize projects that would only fit the allocated fund),” Ma. Cecilia Pacis, Director of the NTF-ELCAC Secretariat, said during the talks with the former rebels at the Headquarters of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade, Bunawan, Davao City on August 11, 2022.
The BDP is the flagship program of the NTF-ELCAC to bring development to former conflict-ridden communities through the implementation of various socioeconomic development projects for barangay beneficiaries in response to former President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order No. 70, which institutionalized the government's "whole-of-nation" approach in dealing with the Philippines' ongoing communist rebellion led by the CPP) and its armed wing, NPA.
In 2021, it was reported earlier by Alex C. Roldan, Regional Director of DILG-Davao, to the National Economic and Development Authority-Davao (Neda-Davao) that as of September 10, 2021, the region is carrying out 607 projects in 215 barangays with a total cost of P4.3 billion.
The 607 projects include, among other things, 233 farm-to-market roads, 158 water and sanitation projects, 42 rural electrification projects, 30 school construction projects, and 29 health station projects.
To date, there are already 133 completed projects in the region for 215 barangays with 249 ongoing projects and 225 pending projects.
Pacis said they are closely monitoring the BDP budget allocation. KSD