Makabayan bloc to House leaders: House has decided to cut NTF-ELCAC budget

Members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives on Thursday expressed their opposition to their colleagues’ plan to restore the National Task Force to End Local Communists Armed Conflict’s P10 billion fund under the proposed P5.26 trillion budget for 2023.

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of the ACT Teachers party-list, House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of the Gabriela party-list, and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan party-list made the remarks after House Committee on Appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co that the NTF-ELCAC’s budget next year be restored to P10 billion since the House-approved version of the 2023 proposed budget has already reduced it to P5 billion.

“With due respect sa ating mga leaders sa Kamara, why a change of heart? Matagal na nating pinagdebatihan iyan sa Kongreso at tagumpay na nga ng mamamayan 'yang pagtatapyas ng P5 billion na pondo ng NTF-ELCAC,” Castro said in a news conference.

(We have long debated upon this and already decided to reduce it to P5 billion.)

“Ang ng pinag-uusapan dito sa badyet ay kung paano ba ang absorptive capacity. Yung DBM, iyon ang pamantayan nila sa pagdaragdag o pagbabawas ng badyet. Ang record ng NTF-ELCAC sa paggasta nito ay napakasama dahil doon sa wala pang 50% nung 2021 na badyet nito ay nagamit, and then itong taon na ito, ay 2% pa lang ang nagagamit. Kaya dapat tanggalin na itong badyet ng NTF-ELCAC,” Castro added.

(The bone of contention here is the absorptive capacity. That is the standard used by the Department of Budget and Management. NTF-ELCAC’s record on utilization is less than 50^ in 2021 and for 2022, it is just 22%. That is why their budget should be reduced.)

Castro then said that P10 billion would go a long way if spent on subsidies for social services.

Brosas, for her part, said the NTF-ELCAC should not be rewarded with a P10 billion budget given its history of tagging opposition figures and unarmed government critics as communist rebels, if not terrorists. 

“To restore NTF-ELCAC’s budget is to commit a sin against the public when all NTF-ELCAC does is to endanger the ranks of progressives. NTF-ELCAC is not the answer to poverty. In fact, it even crowds the budget for social services,” Brosas said.

“There are other meaningful ways to use this fund,” she added.

Manuel, on the other hand, argued that NTF-ELCAC cannot be trusted.

“Why are we going back on our word? Congress already reduced its budget to P5 billion. We can't entrust NTF-ELCAC with billions if it can't even present to Congress its cash inflows and outflows and name its finance officer,” Manuel said.

Then President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 70 dated December 4, 2018, which created the NTF-ELCAC under the OP.

NTF-ELCAC's mandate is "to ensure efficient and effective implementation of the Whole-of-the Nation Approach for the attainment of inclusive and sustainable peace by prioritizing and harmonizing the delivery of basic services and social development packages in conflict-affected areas and vulnerable communities, facilitating societal inclusivity and ensuring active participation of all sectors of society in the pursuits of the country's peace agenda." —NB, GMA Integrated News