AMID calls from opposition lawmakers to defund the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), the National Security Adviser has said the task force will be getting P28.1 billion next year for 1,406 barangays cleared of New People’s Army (NPA) threat and influence.
National Security Adviser and NTF-Elcac Vice Chairman Hermogenes Esperon Jr. assured lawmakers that the task force has no control over the budget of the Barangay Development Program (BDP).
Some solons had earlier described the BDP funds as generals’ pork barrel.
Under the proposed 2022 national budget, the BDP, the flagship project of the Duterte administration, will get P28.1 billion or P11.66 billion higher than this year’s budget.
Esperon clarified that the funds were downloaded to different departments tasked to implement several projects that include farm-to-market road, school buildings and livelihood projects.
“The NTF-Elcac does not, in any circumstances, control nor manipulate the funds appropriated for the BDP. Rather, the NTF-Elcac is responsible for harmonizing and coordinating the efforts both on the national and local level,” Esperon said in a statement.
Communities receiving the BDP are former strongholds of, or under the influence of the CPP-NPA-NDF fronts, and are now ripe for development interventions by the government.
For 2022, a total of 1,406 barangays cleared of insurgency and threats will be included in the BDP. Most of these barangays are located in Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Caraga.
Esperon said that the NTF-Elcac’s main role is not to control the funds but to continuously inspect and monitor the implementation of the projects in the barangays.
Each barangay-recipient shall receive a package of programs, activities and projects worth a total of P20 million.
“I take this opportunity to clarify that in no manner has there been preferential treatment as to the identification of barangay recipients. To be specific, Mindanao has the most number of cleared barangays from 2016-2019,” Esperon said.
As of September 3, 2021, Esperon said about 99.3 percent of the BDP funds have already been released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) directly to the respective provincial and city governments where the barangays are located.
“In the interest of accountability and transparency, measures of transparency are in place for the implementation of the BBP. Pursuant to its mandate, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall monitor and evaluate projects under the BDP. Officials from the head office of the NTF-Elcac will also continuously inspect and monitor the implementation of the projects. Finally, Regional Task Forces of NTF-Elcac which are all led by Cabinet members will conduct their own inspections,” he said.