“Our barangays need all the help they can get.”
This sums up the sentiments of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) President and Quirino Gov. Dax Cua regarding the government’s proposal to allocate P16 billion to fund barangay development projects as a means to prevent the insurgency from growing in the country’s provinces.
“The insurgency is not just peace and order problem for us. It also has a tremendous impact on economic development in our regions.”
Cua, who served three terms in the House of Representatives, said on Saturday: “I view this proposed budget item not just as a former legislator, but from the perspective of my fellow LGU (local government units) executives, many of whom have dealt with the insurgency firsthand.”
“The insurgency is not just peace and order problem for us. It also has a tremendous impact on economic development in our regions,” pointed out Cua.
“If a certain area becomes known for the presence of NPA (communist New People’s Army) rebels, it becomes very difficult to attract business and to build up momentum for tourism and investment promotion; madalas, pag sinabi na ang isang sityo may NPA, damay ang buong probinsya,” lamented the University of the Philippines-educated governor.
The ULAP chief acknowledged that “many areas in the country have been cleared of insurgents and that their numbers have dwindled over the years; but the government should not let down its guard and is obligated to find ways to sustain this effort in order to prevent them from coming back.”
Quirino, which once had to deal with the insurgency, has been considered insurgency-free for the past 10 years, said Cua. This does not mean, however, that the province’s leaders have been complacent.
“If a certain area becomes known for the presence of NPA rebels, it becomes very difficult to attract business and to build up momentum for tourism and investment promotion.”
“We need to be vigilant. Mas mainam na maging pro-active; it is far more prudent to invest in prevention than to suffer the consequences of inaction,” stressed Cua.
“Malaking tulong ang pondo na yan para sa mga barangay natin––the ones with our armed forces in the frontlines, the ones we depend on to guard our communities against the insurgency.”
The government has allocated P16 billion for a barangay-based counter-insurgency program that will be spearheaded by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. Under the program, 822 barangays in remote areas will receive 20 million pesos each to improve and develop their communities.