Typhoon-hit Bicol to benefit from anti-insurgency programs —Palace

Malacañang on Thursday assured typhoon-hit communities in Bicol region they would benefit from programs under the government’s anti-insurgency fund for next year.

At a news conference in Catanduanes, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said there was no need to realign a portion of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict's (NTF-ELCAC) P19-billion budget for 2021 for relief and rehabilitation efforts as proposed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

“Itong mga nasalanta ng bagyo po, they will be beneficiaries of the ELCAC funds,” he said.

“Hindi na po kinakailangan mag-realign diyan, ipatuloy lang po natin na pondohan iyong mga ELCAC programs at malaking pondo po ay pupunta po dito sa Bicolandia at Catanduanes kung saan aktibo naman po talaga ang mga insurgent,” he added.

Under the NTF-ELCAC’s proposed budget, a huge chunk or P16.4 billion will be used to support the barangay development program.

President Rodrigo Duterte created the NTF-ELCAC in 2018 to implement the government's "whole-of-nation" approach towards "inclusive and sustainable peace." —LBG, GMA News