BG PARTY-LIST WANTS PRRD’S ANTI-INSURGENCY PROGRAM SUSTAINED
CEBU CITY - BG partylist joins poll of government offices and local communities pushing for the sustained implementation of the Duterte administration's anti-insurgency efforts through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
First nominee Alelee Andanar on Wednesday said that the whole-of-nation approach created a significant change to the lives of communities who were tormented by the communist groups for decades, and also helped former rebels reintegrate safely.
“Talagang ramdam po ang pagbaba ng national government sa mga barangay at liblib na mga lugar sa pamamagitan ng Barangay Development Program. Tinutugunan ng programang ito ang mga ugat ng insurhensya tulad ng kahirapan, kawalan ng trabaho, serbisyo ng gobyerno at mga imprastruktura,” she said.
“Dahil dito, libu-libo na po ang nagbalik-loob, nabuwag ang maraming guerrilla fronts at nabawasan ang mga NPA-infested barangays. Ang mga nagbalik-loob na rebelde naman ay binigyan ng tulong, second chance na magbagong buhay, at mga oportunidad,” she added.
Andanar also hoped that whoever sits as the next president of the country will recognize the gains that the policy has given to provide a safe and progressive countryside.
The Executive Order 70 signed in December 2018 created the NTF-ELCAC which heralded the beginning of a proactive and inclusive approach to address the problem of insurgency and violence perpetrated by local armed groups.
By creating the task force and adopting a National Peace Framework, the government was able to streamline projects dedicated to diminish the force ofo the CTGs and finally end the five decade presence of insurgency in the country.
Second nominee Atty. Mico Clavano, meanwhile, called for the remaining members oof the communist terrorist groups to return too the folds of the law already.
“Apela ko sa mga kapatid nating naligaw ng landas, sumuko na po kayo sa gobyerno dahil wala pong patutunguhan ang inyong pakipagbakbakan. Iba na ang gobyerno ngayon, may puso at malasakit sa mga Pilipino,” he said.