IN view of the alleged red-tagging of community pantry organizers recently, some lawmakers have called for the defunding of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Personally, I think the call is harsh and should be thought out very thoroughly. The task force remains crucial if we want real peace to rule over our country.

The Liga Independencia Pilipinas headed by Jose Antonio Goitia as its Secretary- General offers a very good explanation why it supports the NTF-ELCAC from the brickbats and why it is strongly opposed to the defunding moves, among others.

Goitia explained that after decades of procrastination in dealing with the communist insurgency — whose principal objective is to replace the current economic and political order in the Philippines with a socialist system by waging a protracted people’s war to destroy the government — the Duterte administration institutionalized a whole-of-nation approach to attain inclusive and sustainable peace.

He further stated: “Written in the Executive Order 70 signed by the President is to call for an end of all armed threats and recognize that the internal socio-political stability rests upon healing the rifts that divide the nation by promoting participatory governance, synergy of government development efforts and enhancing the participation and responsibilities of local government units.

Specific to this is addressing the root causes of insurgencies, disturbance, tensions and other armed conflicts and threats by prioritizing and harmonizing the delivery of basic services and social and development packages by the government, facilitating societal inclusivity and ensuring active participation of all sectors of the society in the pursuit of the country’s peace agenda.”

Central to this, Goitia said, is the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) as the lead group to implement these objectives.

The senators’ call to defund the whole program as a result of Lt. General Parlade’s statement must be reconsidered. Taking back the funding is an emotional response than a rationale one. Throw discernment out and immediately condemn an action because their feelings were hurt. This is an egregious display of power.

Goitia points out that their declaration runs counter with the February 21, 2021 report by the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation that the whole-of-nation approach “could be the most effective anti-insurgency program as evidenced by the continuous and consistent reduction of the influence and strength of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army).”

The success of NTF-ELCAC, he said, cannot be discounted and the people will not allow the Senate to pursue their course of action which runs counter to the security and well-being of Filipino people.

“The Barangay Development Program of the NTF-ELCAC is one of the worthiest programs of this government. It has directly engaged and supported 822 cleared barangays especially in conflict affected geographically isolated disadvantaged areas giving as much as P20 million worth of development packages and services. This includes farm-to-market roads, schoolbuildings, water and sanitation system, assistance to indigent individuals or families, agricultural, livelihood and technical vocational trainings, electrification and health services,” he said.

According to him , taking away all of these government services especially in neglected ICCs/IPs ancestral domains will set us back in our goal to bring stability in the countryside. The only group who will benefit from this is the group which the whole-of-nation approach is trying to eradicate—the CPP-NPA.

“Peace must not be derailed by trivial arguments or emotional outbursts. We expect our leaders to work for the benefit of our country by expediently addressing our socio-economic issues,” he said.

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Jokjok (from Manolito Cunanan of Sta. Ana, Manila)—-Anak: Itay, pengeng pera, bibili lang po ako ng bond paper/Itay: Anak, huwag kang bobo ha? Hindi “bond paper” ang tawag dun!/Anak: Ay, ano po ba?/Itay: “Kokongban”

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