The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has successfully dismantled guerilla fronts and weakened the forces of the New People’s Army (NPA), through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, also vice chairman of the NTF-ELCAC, said this as he stressed Filipinos in areas which used to be NPA-infested areas has begun to enjoy development and peace and order.
As the NTF-ELCAC celebrates its third year, Esperon reported what he said as “the significant weakening of the Communist Party of the Philippines and NPA (CPP-NPA).
For this year alone, Esperon said the NTF-ELCAC, with the help of the Regional Task Force-ELCAC and law enforcement agencies, was able to dismantle 10 guerilla fronts and weakened 14 other fronts nationwide. “As the NTF-ELCAC celebrates its 3rd year anniversary, I am proud to declare that we have accomplished substantial and considerable gains in defeating the Communist Terrorist Group. I wish to underscore this as I, the Vice Chair of the NTF-ELCAC, as I have witnessed firsthand the improvement in the lives of our people, notably in conflicted communities,” Esperon said.
“This we have achieved through the twin strategies of peace and order initiatives couples with socio-economic and development intervention programs,” he added.
On December 4, 2018 President Duterte signed Executive Order No. 70 or Institutionalizing the while-of-nation approach in attaining the sustainable peace, creating the NTF-ELCAC.
Part of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 is to attain inclusive and sustainable peace through intensified development and other peace-building initiatives in conflict-affected and vulnerable communities.
The NTF-ELCAC has launched Serbisyo Caravans and Barangay Development Program (BDP) which main purpose is to help barangays, formerly under the influence of NPA, to live normal and have development.
Under the BDP, chosen barangays or 822 nationwide, is receiving each P20 million worth of projects including farm-to-market roads, school building, barangay halls, water sanitation, livelihood and even financial assistance to the indigents.
Esperon said these communities, formerly affected by the Communist Terrorist Group, are now made beneficiaries to development initiatives of the government and experiencing a life of peace and better life.
Also Esperon said that through the initiatives of the NTF-ELCAC, about 3,488 NPA members have returned to the folds of the law since 2019 together with 19,000 militias and underground members.
“The progress of these communities are anchored upon a Whole of Nation Approach for their return to normalcy and upliftment. Without a doubt, the aspirations for a peace and productive life have been realized in many parts of the country,” he said.
He is confident that the hold of the CPP NPA NDF over its unwitting victims is now coming to an end.
“The coming collapse of the CPP-NPA-NDF can be attributed to a number of factors, but most importantly, our people now see through the group’s deceit and self-serving ideology. We at the NTF-ELCAC take pride in the chance to participate in this opportunity for nation-building.”
“We take it to heart that millions of Filipinos have benefitted from this national program, and we look forward to its fulfillment through the Whole of Nation Approach we have undertaken throughout its three years of implementation,” he added.