Manila: A ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has called on the public to help the government maintain and protect the hard-won gains against the communist insurgents and its allies. "The gains are real, but they are fragile if we grow complacent. Peace is not the job of one agency. It is the shared responsibility of a whole nation," NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said as the anti-communist body celebrated its 7th year anniversary Thursday night. He also called on all Filipinos for sustained unity and vigilance.
According to Philippines News Agency, Torres emphasized the importance of continued public support to ensure that conflict does not return, highlighting the need for communities to remain safe for future generations. He underscored the Barangay Development Program (BDP) as a cornerstone of the government's peace strategy, which has delivered PHP36.82 billion worth of projects to 4,830 formerly conflict-affected barangays since 2021, benefiting more than 15.8 million Filipinos.
Torres pointed out that development initiatives, rather than terror, are the key to lasting peace. He noted the tangible benefits of the BDP, including roads, classrooms, water systems, health stations, and livelihood projects that extremist groups could never provide. Addressing calls to defund the program, Torres clarified that NTF-ELCAC does not manage BDP funds. Instead, barangays identify their needs, local governments implement the projects, and the task force ensures transparency and strict monitoring, asserting that any attack on the BDP is an attack on the poorest communities.
Significant gains have also been reported in reintegration efforts through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and the government's Amnesty Program. From 2019 to 2025, 50,907 individuals from various threat groups have returned to the fold of the law, including 15,670 New People's Army members, with over 10,000 firearms surrendered nationwide. Torres noted that thousands of former rebels are choosing peace and returning to society with restored rights, livelihood, and hope, marking the concrete collapse of armed structures.
