THUMBS DOWN. Mayor Ariel de Jesus of San Luis, Aurora is one of the local leaders in Central Luzon who expressed opposition to proposals to defund the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which has programs that provide aid to insurgency-affected areas. De Jesus said the NTF-ELCAC's Barangay Development Program has a huge impact on the development of the communities. (Contributed photo)
BALER, Aurora – Some local leaders in Central Luzon have opposed calls to defund the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) which has programs that provide aid to insurgency-affected areas in this province and Nueva Ecija.
Mayor Ariel A. de Jesus of San Luis town, this province, expressed dismay because NTF ELCAC’s Barangay Development Program bears a huge impact on his town’s development.
“Sa katunayan, simula ng mailunsad ang BDP ay nagawa nitong pababain ang kaso ng kriminalidad sa amin pong komunidad na siyang may malaking epekto sa pag-unlad ng aming pamayanan. Kung kaya’t ako po ay hindi sumasang-ayon sa mosyong ito ng pagde-defund (In fact, since the BDP was launched, it has been able to reduce the number of crime cases in our community, which has a huge impact on the development of our community. So, I do not agree with the defunding),” de Jesus said.
Maria Elena Nicer, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Maria Aurora town, said the NTF-ELCAC provides help to the villages.
“Ang layunin nito ay mapa-unlad at maisa-ayos ang mga kabuhayan ng mga tao lalo na ang mga nasa rural at urban na barangay upang mabawasan ang panghihikayat ng mga makakaliwang grupo o NPA. Mabigyan ng mga pagsasanay, pangkabuhayan at mga proyektong mas kailangan ng barangay (Its purpose is to improve and organize the livelihood of the people, especially those in rural and urban villages to thwart the persuasion of leftist groups (NPA) and to provide training, livelihood and projects that the barangays need more),” Nicer said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jobby P. Emata of Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija said the NTF-ELCAC is a good program of the government, being a huge help in end insurgency in the country.
"Saksi po ako bilang punong lingkod bayan ng isang malayo, payak at maliit subalit papaunlad na bayan, kung paano nakakatulong ang mga programa ng NTF-ELCAC sa paglago ng mga bayan ng katulad sa amin (I am a witness as chief public servant of a remote, simple and small but developing town on how the NTF-ELCAC programs contribute to the growth of the municipalities like ours),” Emata said.
He said defunding the NTF-ELCAC is removing the hope and long-term solution that could finally put an end to the country's insurgency problem.
Appeal
Meanwhile, Randy Casamis, Sangguniang Bayan sectoral representative in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija, appealed to lawmakers to reconsider their proposal to defund the program.
“Hindi po makatarungan na tanggalin nila ang pondo ng NTF-ELCAC dahil marami na po ang nagawa ang programang ito, katulad na lang po sa mga liblib na lugar at sa mga IP (indigenous peoples) communities, marami na po ang natulungan at nagkaroon ng mga hanapbuhay dahil nga po sa mga programang NTF-ELCAC kaya malaking tutol po ako sa pag defund ng pondo nito (It is not fair to defund NTF-ELCAC because the program has helped a lot. Like in remote areas and the IP communities, it helped a lot and because of the NTF-ELCAC program, many people got jobs)," Casamis said.
Emmanuel Domingo, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in Nueva Ecija, said the BDP program of the NTF-ELCAC has a big contribution to the development of rural communities.
IPs' sufferings
Domingo expressed concern that the defunding of the NTF-ELCAC might cause suffering to IPs like them.
“Huwag ng alisin ang pondo para sa SBDP ng NTF-ELCAC dahil lubos po kaming nakikinabang sa programang ito ng gobyerno sa mga usaping pang-edukasyon, pang-kalusugan, pang-kabuhayan at higit sa lahat sa aspetong pang-kapayapaan at alang-alang na rin po sa kapakanan naming mga katutubo (Do not remove the funds for the BDP of NTF-ELCAC because we are benefiting from this government program in matters of education, health, livelihood and above all, in the aspect of peace and also for the sake of the indigenous people),” he said.
Lt. Col. Reandrew P. Rubio, commander of the Philippine Army's 91st Infantry “Sinagtala" Battalion, said the “statements of our local chief executives and local leaders are clear manifestations that they are opposing the proposed defunding of NTF ELCAC funds.”
“They really believe that ELCAC is a good mechanism in bringing infrastructure projects and development in the countryside,” he said.
The BDP is a hallmark program of NTF-ELCAC with the end goal of bringing development to former conflict-prone communities.
It has identified 822 barangays nationwide that were former guerilla fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Of the PHP19 billion total budget of the NTF-ELCAC, PHP16 billion is allotted for the development of 822 barangays cleared of insurgency.
Each recipient barangay will receive PHP20 million for projects such as farm-to-market roads, classrooms, water and sanitation systems, health stations and livelihood projects.
The PHP16-billion budget for BDP goes directly to local government units from the Department of Budget and Management.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
