NTF-ELCAC Pushes Full ₱8.1-B BDP Budget to Lock In Peace Gains

August 14, 2025

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has welcomed the proposed allocation of ₱10 million per barangay for 808 former conflict-affected communities under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), amounting to a total of ₱8.1 billion.

Executive Director Usec. Ernesto C. Torres Jr. said the proposal—reflecting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “unwavering commitment to inclusive development”—sends a strong message that “no community will be left behind.”

“This funding is not just about roads or buildings. It is an investment in peace, dignity, and opportunity for communities long neglected and scarred by insurgency. Every road we pave, every classroom we build, every family we empower brings us closer to making armed rebellion a relic of the past," Torres said.

The Barangay Development Program (BDP), hailed as NTF-ELCAC’s flagship initiative, delivers vital infrastructure and services to barangays cleared of CPP-NPA-NDF influence—farm-to-market roads, classrooms, health stations, water systems, and electrification—addressing the root causes of insurgency under the National Action Plan for Unity, Peace, and Development (NAP-UPD).

While the proposed allocation mirrors the ₱10 million per barangay originally set in past NEPs, Torres cautioned that actual funding under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) can be significantly reduced. In 2025, Congress approved only ₱2.5 million per barangay, forcing NTF-ELCAC to source an additional ₱5 million per barangay to maintain project momentum.

“The cost of neglecting these communities is far greater than the cost of development,” Torres said. “To safeguard hard-won peace, Congress must approve the full ₱8.1 billion. We cannot afford to step back now.”

Torres also dismissed anticipated criticism from the CPP-NPA-NDF, saying their opposition only alienates them further from the people.

“On the ground, the results are undeniable—poverty is receding, livelihoods are growing, and dignity is being restored,” he said.

With all 89 communist guerrilla fronts dismantled, NTF-ELCAC emphasized that development work must continue to ensure no resurgence of conflict. The agency vowed to program remaining cleared barangays for BDP coverage in 2027 and 2028, fulfilling its mission to leave no community behind.

“Peace is not a gift we hand over and walk away from—it is a commitment we sustain,” Torres declared. “This funding is the bridge from liberation to lasting prosperity.”