DILG wants P40-B budget for NTF-ELCAC’s brgy dev’t program in 2022

FILE PHOTO: Interior Secretary Eduardo Año. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is seeking a budget of P40 billion for the barangay development program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in 2022, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday.

Año said the DILG aims to allocate P20 million to each of the 2,000 barangays in the program. These barangays were previously “influenced” by communist rebels but are now declared cleared by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and by the Philippine National Police.

“Last part kasi ng liberation ng barangays are development projects katulad ng farm-to-market roads, school, houses, health centers, electrification, including livelihood, may menu tayo diyan,” he said in a forum.

“Kung papayagan tayo ng Congress at ng Senate, napakalaking bagay ito para sa ating mga barangay. Ito talaga yung solving insurgency on dealing on the causes,” Año added.

For 2021, the NTF ELCAC was given a budget of over P16 billion for development programs in 822 barangays, Año said.

Año earlier said that 99% of the P16.24-billion funds have already been released to the local governments.

/MUF