AFFIRMING SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT: 53IB, LGUs Strengthen Barangay Development Program

Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur —The Philippine Army’s 53rd Infantry “Matapat” Battalion (53IB) and local government units in its area of operations (AO) affirm security and development as they converge to strengthen Barangay Development Program (BDP) last Monday June 14.

The Local Chief Executives (LCEs) of the Municipalities of Guipos, San Miguel, and Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur and 53IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera discussed about the BDP and the upcoming projects that can be implemented to elevate the lives of the communities in previously CPP-NPA affected barangays, also called as “ELCAC Barangays.”

The BDP is the flagship program under the umbrella of Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) which was conceptualized to finally address insurgency by bringing sustainable solutions and basic services to communities in need.

Of the PHP19 billion total budget of the NTF-ELCAC, PHP16.5 billion is allotted for the development of over 800 barangays cleared of insurgency.

The BDP’s core programs and projects for each recipient barangay, which would receive P20 million worth of projects, broken down as follows: P12 million for concrete farm-to-market roads; P3 million for school buildings; P2 million for water and sanitation; P1.5 million for health stations; and P1.5 million for livelihood projects and assistance.

As of May 12, 2021, a total of P12.3 billion, or 75 percent of the total budget for the 822 recipients of the BDP have been released to recipient LGUs according to Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malay.