CLEARED. Cabinet Officer for Security and Development for Western Visayas, Roy Cimatu (left) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional head Juan Jovian Ingeniero (right) present two approved resolutions declaring 86 barangays in the region as cleared of the influence of the communist terrorist group (CTG) during the RTF-ELCAC meeting on Sept. 9. A total of 160 barangays in the region have been cleared of the CTG influence. (Photo courtesy of DENR 6)
ILOILO CITY – A total of 86 more barangays from Western Visayas have been declared as cleared of the influence of the communist terrorist groups (CTG), bringing the total number of cleared barangays in the region to 160.
“During the RTF-ELCAC 6 (Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict Western Visayas) meeting on Sept. 9, a resolution endorsing these 86-CTG cleared barangays due to the National Task Force ELCAC was passed,” said Mark Angelo Linas, regional focal person of the Department of the Interior on Local Government (DILG) for the ELCAC, in a phone interview Friday.
The DILG was tasked as head secretariat and chair of the technical working group of the RTF-ELCAC.
Before this, the Peace, Law Enforcement, and Development Support (PLEDS) Cluster passed two resolutions endorsing the 86 barangays as CTG cleared.
“After endorsing these 86 barangays to the national task force, member agencies that comprise the 12 clusters or 12 line of efforts of the regional task force will start implementing the programs, projects, and activities of their clusters,” he added.
He said concerned agencies have been planning and strategizing while the PLEDS cluster is in the process of “clearing the barangays”.
“That is now the go signal for the clusters to implement their PPAs (plans, programs, and projects) once the barangays are cleared already,” he added.
He said the national task force has promised PHP20 million for the barangay development program of each CTG-cleared barangay.
In a press statement, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the 74 barangays that were first cleared of the CTG influence have already an approved budget of PHP1.48 billion for the barangay development program for implementation in 2021.
The fund can be used for development programs such as farm-to-market roads, barangay health centers, school buildings, universal healthcare, crops, livestock and fisheries, and others.
During the Sept 9. meeting, Environment Secretary and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Western Visayas Roy Cimatu stressed the importance of attaining the goals of Executive Order No. 70 or the Whole-of-Nation Approach to end local armed conflict and achieve sustainable development and inclusive growth for the Filipino people and the next generation.
“This is one of the most important programs of the government. Tama na siguro ‘to, it has been 50 years. I was yet a lieutenant when we started fighting to end this armed conflict,” Cimatu said.
He underscored the need to attain peace in communities deprived of the much-needed government interventions that would improve peoples’ lives due to local armed conflict.
Cimatu said village chairpersons should be mobilized to lead development programs in their communities. (PNA)
