National Security Adviser Eduardo Año (File photo)
MANILA – National Security Adviser Eduardo Año pledged to bring basic infrastructure to every vulnerable barangay in the country, saying that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) would spare no effort in completing this initiative.
In a statement Thursday night, he expressed confidence that Congress would restore the Support for Barangay Development Program (SBDP) budget to PHP10 million per barangay, which will be used for basic infrastructure, such as farm-to-market roads, rural electrification, health stations, water and sanitation systems, school buildings, and sustainable livelihood projects in geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
"The NTF ELCAC will not stop until all these vulnerable barangays get the basic infrastructure," said Año, who is also the vice chair of the anti-insurgency body.
The SBDP is a flagship program of the NTF-ELCAC that aims to bring development to former conflict-ridden communities.
The program aims to address the root causes of insurgency by promoting development and improving the lives of people in conflict-affected areas.
He said the SBDP has been successful in implementing various infrastructure projects across the country, including the construction of farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation systems, electrification, and health stations.
According to the updated BDP progress report, as of Aug. 6, 2024, a total of 2,451 farm-to-market road projects have been constructed, with 1,076 km. completed and 27.64 km. ongoing.
Of the 461 school building projects, 652 classrooms have been completed and 89 are ongoing.
Of the 1,049 water and sanitation system projects, 890 have been completed while 128 are ongoing.
Of the 447 health station projects, 389 have been completed while 53 are ongoing.
Of the 518 rural electrification projects, 15,157 on- and off-grid projects and streetlights have been completed while three are ongoing.
Several other infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects have been completed and are ongoing, the report said.
Overall, these projects have a total released budget of PHP28.39 billion funded under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) - SBDP funds for Fiscal Years (FY) 2021 to 2023.
For FY 2024, nearly 99 percent of the PHP2.16 billion allocated for 864 beneficiary barangays and 885 projects had been released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the implementing cities/municipalities.
For 2025, the NTF-ELCAC has proposed a PHP7.8 billion budget for the BDP's implementation.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Marlo Irigan, however, admitted during Thursday's budget hearing of the agency at the House of Representatives that none of the projects for FY 2024 has so far been implemented.
Iringan said the concerned local government units (LGUs) "are still in the process of procuring the projects."
This earned the ire of Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, who called for the defunding of the anti-insurgency body due to its chronic slow implementation of projects.
The DILG oversees the implementation of the BDP as LGUs that receive funds for these projects are under its jurisdiction.
NPA 'permit to campaign' to wane
Año, meanwhile, said the New People's Army's (NPA) “permit to campaign” scam would no longer be an issue in the 2025 midterm elections after its force is now down to five weakened guerilla fronts.
Aside from the NPA, he said, the security sector – the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) – and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should be wary of the elections in areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“Ang ating concern sa (Our concern for the) next election is the BARMM. We might be putting more troops into BARMM areas just to ensure that, because this is their first BARMM parliamentary election. May problema pa sa stability (there are still some stability problems),” he said.
Año said the NPA, the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has been decimated in all its politico-military spectrum capabilities.
From a high of 89 in 2018, its guerilla fronts are down to seven this first semester and two are set to be declared eliminated soon.
With this update, Año said, the government is on the verge of closing the violent and bloody chapter of the CPP-NPA in Philippine history within the year or next year.
He said he sees election security problems would be more of "political violence between traditional political families and political goons.”
“Noong 2019 at saka 2022 (In 2019 and 2022), when I was the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) secretary, naglabas kami noon ng order na lahat ng mayor, lahat ng candidates (we issued an order for all mayors, all candidates) that those who will provide money or materials to the CPP-NPA will be automatically charged. Cases will be filed before the Ombudsman. So, medyo maraming natakot na mayor noon, mga candidates. I think minsan nagwo-work ‘yan eh (a lot of candidates got intimidated with our warning. Those things sometimes work)," he recalled.
Año said many candidates won without succumbing to the NPA’s extortion strategies, such as the “permit to campaign” or “permit to win.” (PNA)
