IPINAG -UTOS ni Pangulong Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. ang pagdaragdag ng Barangay Development Funds ng National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) na kanyang pinamumunuan bilang chairman, ayon sa National Security Council.
Ayon kay NSC Asst. Director-General Jonathan Malaya, inatasan ni Pangulong Marcos ang Department of Budget Management na maglaan ng karagdagang P5 million per barangay mula sa orihinal na P2.5 million per barangay o kabuuang P4.32B mula sa unprogrammed funds ng National Treasury.
Dahil dito, umabot na sa P7.5 million ang makukuha ng 864 recipient barangays bilang Barangay Development Program funds.
“The President was not happy with the original P2.5M per barangay in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) so he ordered the DBM to allocate the additional funds for this year. He said that P2.5M will hardly make an impact in terms of development so he ordered the augmentation,” ani Malaya.
Sinabi pa ni Malaya na base sa kanilang huling NTF ELCAC Executive Committee Meeting nitong nakalipas na linggo ay nagpahayag ng pagsuporta ang Pangulong Marcos para sa P10-M per barangay allocation sa 2025 budget na kasalukuyan pang tinatalakay sa senado.
“The President noted that the NEP allocated P10-M per barangay for the next batch of recipient barangays next year and he hopes Congress will ensure that the final version of the 2025 GAA reflects this amount,” sabi pa ni Malaya.
Samantala, inaprubahan rin ng Pangulo ang rehabilitation ng Batong- Buhay – Colayo Road sa Pasil, Kalinga. Pondo mula sa PAMANA program ng OPAPRU ang siyang gagamitin dito.
“The President said that the government has to sustain development projects in all barangays cleared of CPP-NPA-NDF influence so that the root causes of conflict are finally addressed,” dagdag pa ni Malaya.
Inaprubahan din ng Pangulo ang bagong National Action Plan for Unity, Peace and Development na binuo ng NTF ELCAC, sa ilalim ng NAP-UPD.
Itutuloy din umano ng pamahalaan ang national peace framework na naka-angkla sa prinsipyo ng unity, peace and security at socio-economic development.
