DILG: 99% of dev’t funds for ‘Red-free’ barangays released

Eduardo Año INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday claimed that 99 percent of the P16.24-billion funds of the government counterinsurgency task force’s Barangay Development Program (BDP) funds for 822 communist influence-cleared villages were already released to the local governments.

In a statement on Wednesday Año said that as of June 30, practically all of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-Elcac) BDP funds had been downloaded to the recipient local governments following approval by the Department of Budget and Management.

He pointed out, “With the P16.24-billion fund downloaded to the recipient local government units nationwide, we will implement some 2,276 projects which will benefit our countrymen in the sitios and barrios that were formerly influenced by the communist terrorists.”

Año added, “These projects are tangible proof of the government’s desire to bring development to far-flung areas that have not seen government projects in a very long time.”

Among projects identified by the recipient barangays include: 926 farm-to-market roads; 516 water and sanitation projects; 156 health stations; and 135 school buildings.

According to Año, out of the BDP funds, P11.611 billion has been earmarked for farm-to-market road projects; P2.38 billion for water and sanitation system; P569 million for school buildings; P491 million for health stations; P482 million for rural electrification; and P328 million for agricultural, livelihood and technical vocational projects.

He further said that P170 million is for other infrastructure projects; P110 million cost of assistance to indigent individuals and families; P49 million for the cost of reconstruction, rehabilitation, repair and other similar projects; P16 million for housing; and P22.5 million for new coronavirus disease pandemic-related projects.

The top five regions with the biggest allocations were the Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Caraga.

Año said the remaining 10 barangays, whose allocations had not been released, were in the process of completing their documentary requirements.

The BDP, a flagship program of the NTF-Elcac, was conceptualized to finally address insurgency by bringing sustainable solutions and basic services to communities in need. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, the NTF-Elcac spokesperson on the BDP, assured that the DILG will conduct stringent monitoring of the progress of the BDP projects and ensure they adhere to the set guidelines. INQ