The P500 million fund for projects in 25 insurgency-cleared barangays in seven local government units in Negros Occidental has been download by the Department of Budget and Management and is ready for disposal.
This was announced at the 2nd Quarter Joint Provincial Peace and Order Council – Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PPOC-PADAC) meeting chaired by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, Wednesday, April 12.
Lacson said the insurgency-cleared barangays are receiving P20 million each under the Support to Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
The PPOC unanimously approved a resolution of Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante supporting the sustainability of the NTF-ELCAC projects, amid a move by some lawmakers to realign its P19 billion fund.
Lacson said he also signed a manifesto supporting the NTF-ELCAP fund that is important for the development of insurgency cleared barangays.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government reported that the 25 barangays receiving P20M each for projects are Buluangan, Codcod, Nataban , Quezon and Guadalupe in San Carlos City, Estado and Gawahon in Victorias City;
Carabalan in Himamaylan City, Canlusong in EB Magalona, San Pablo in Manapla, Caduha-an in Cadiz City, and Buenavista, Dian-ay, Langub, Mabini, Malasibog, Libertad, Paitan, Udtongan, Washington, Japitan, Binaguiohan, Rizal, Pinapugasan and Alimango in Escalante City.
The projects will include farm to market roads, school buildings, health stations, electrification, distribution of seeds to farmers and agri-livelihood training.
Seventy more insurgency-cleared barangays in Negros Occidental are expected to also receive similar funding next year.
Included in the list are Calatrava with 13 barangays, Isabela – 8, Toboso – 7, Hinoba-an – 6, Salvador Benedicto – 5, Moises Padilla, La Carlota City, Candoni and Kabankalan – 4 each, Sipalay City – 3, Murcia, Ilog, Escalante City and Himamaylan City – 2 each, and Hinigaran, Binalbagan, La Carlota City and Cauayan – 1 each.
Col. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the local government units will handle the BDP funds, and not the Philippine Army.
“We will only monitor the implementation of the projects,” Pasaporte said.*