• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Good news for newly declared insurgency free barangays in Negros Occidental.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has increased financial aid to insurgency-free barangays, from P2.5 million to P7.5 million each.
Forty-three barangays in Negros Occidental have been declared insurgency-free by the TF-ELCAC in Negros Occidental, for 2024. They are recipients of the NTF ELCAC’s Barangay Development Program.
The 43 barangays are from the cities of La Carlota, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, Sipalay, and Talisay, and the towns of Binalbagan, Calatrava, Candoni, Cauayan, E.B. Magalona, Hinigaran, Hinoba-an, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Murcia, Salvador Benedicto, and Valladolid.
In a statement, National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya said that a total of P4.32 billion in additional budget will benefit 864 insurgency-free barangays who are recipients of NTF-ELCAC’s Barangay Development Program for this year.
Malaya said the P2.5 million will hardly make an impact in terms of development for an insurgency-free barangay.
“The President was not happy with the original P2.5M per barangay in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) so he ordered the Department of Budget and Management to allocate the additional funds for this year,” he added.
The Barangay Development Program, or BDP, aims to promote development at the grassroots level. It intends to bring sustainable development programs to conflict-prone and conflict-affected communities, and also focuses on addressing the needs and concerns of barangays, through building of various infrastructure projects.*