NTF-ELCAC urged to submit report on barangay program

MANILA, Philippines — House MinorityLeader Joseph Stephen Paduano wants the government’s anticommunist task force to submit quarterly performance reports on its barangay development program (BDP) amid its lobbying for additional funds in 2022.

Paduano, an Abang-Lingkod party-list representative, made the call to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) in a hearing on Tuesday.

“Maybe every three or four months, I hope we will have a gallery display here in the House to inform our members that this is what is happening to the implementation of the NTF-Elcac’s budget. So that we can convince and explain to our fellow congressmen that the budget went to this barangay beneficiary by quarter,” Paduano said in a hearing of the House Mindanao affairs panel.

He made the remarks after NTF-Elcac action officer Monico Batle said P16.28 billion out of P16.44 billion funds for the BDP for 2021 was already released to 822 barangays under the BDP.

For 2022, the NTF-Elcac wants a P28.12-billion budget—which is P11 billion higher than its P16.44-billion allocation for this year.

Tagged as Red-tagger

But the NTF-Elcac as been criticized for its Red-tagging of celebrities, journalists and even community pantry organizers amid the pandemic. “Again, I am still supporting the NTF-Elcac’s budget increase. But I am requesting the security sector to consider making it a quarterly activity to submit reports, so it’s not hard for us to explain to members of Congress,” Paduano said.

Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo agreed with Paduano’s suggestion for regular reports and a regular display gallery of the NTF-Elcac’s accomplishments in a wing of the Batasan Pambansa complex. In response, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. agreed with Paduano’s request. INQ