Press Release
December 2, 2021

Dela Rosa pushes for additional Brgy Dev't Program budget anew: It's worth fighting for

SENATOR Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa has lauded the decision of his fellow senators to increase to P10.8 billion the 2022 proposed budget of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), but has asked for more funding to end the decades-long insurgency in the country.

This developed on Wednesday as the Senate approved on third and final reading the P5.024-trillion proposed national appropriation for 2022. Dela Rosa expressed gratitude to Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, for the increase in the proposed budget of the NTF-ELCAC, the agency that implements the Barangay Development Program (BDP) aimed at improving barangays formerly under the clutches of the New People's Army (NPA).

"I would like to express my gratitude to our very good chairman. Alam kong parang naiipit siya sa nag-uumpugang bato. Gustong-gusto niya itong programa ng NTF-ELCAC dahil alam niya talagang ang problema ng komunismo ay kailangang matapos na pero siya rin ay naiipit kung saan siya hahanap ng pondo para isuporta dito," Dela Rosa said.

The Senate finance panel earlier had cut the original proposal of P28-billion budget for the task force by P24 billion, leaving it with just P4 billion.

On the same day the Senate approved the budget bill, Dela Rosa, vice chairman of the Senate finance committee, first proposed to increase the P4 billion to P19 billion, the same amount it received for this year.

"I would like to propose an amendment on the bill to retain the budget of the Barangay ?Development Program of the NTF-ELCAC to P19 billion... I understand that the budgetary cut of P24 billion is due to the NTF-ELCAC's failure to disclose how their budget was spent. However, I appeal to the hearts of my colleagues to give more consideration in order to end this decades-long insurgency," he said.

Angara acknowledged the efforts made by Dela Rosa, saying that the Mindanaoan Senator "made very powerful arguments in support of NTF-ELCAC."

"Kung matulungan niyo kami na makahanap siguro ng pondo, ng pwedeng itukoy na pwedeng ilipat, willing naman 'ho tayo makipag-usap sa inyo. And of course, I've already been on record saying that I believe the program should be given a chance. I believe the battle for the hearts and minds of our people living in formerly insurgent areas is very important," Angara said.

Dela Rosa responded, "Kahit hindi na ma-meet 'yung P19 billion, basta taas-taasan lang konti, Mr. Chairman... Ang akin na lang ngayon is nakikiusap na lang ako kung pwedeng dagdagan pa dahil kumbaga, i-dedicate ko na lang ito sa aking mga kasamahan na namatay sa giyera laban sa NPA na kahit papaano, ngayong senador na ako, nakapag-contribute naman ako ng solusyon dito sa ilang dekada nang problema ng ating bayan, itong insurgency."

The Upper Chamber only approved P10.8 billion for the NTF ELCAC, although it could still be increased by the Bicameral Conference Committee, according to Angara.

Dela Rosa was named one of the members of the bicam during Wednesday's plenary session.

The Mindanaoan senator also apologized to his colleagues for "improper words" he might have uttered in his previous interviews.

"Alam ko naman na may mga rason tayo kung bakit kayo nag-o-oppose, and I perfectly understand... My pakikiusap may be a voice in the wilderness, but still, it's worth fighting for para sa ating mga kababayan doon sa kabundukan na talagang naghihintay, nag-e-expect na makatanggap... kahit gaanong kaliit na biyaya in the form of Barangay Development Programs doon sa kanilang kanayunan," the former top cop said.

News Latest News Feed