MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he P16.4 billion budget being sought for a counterinsurgency program to bring projects to villages would lead to economic development in the long-run and weaken communist rebels, according to National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon on Thursday (Oct. 1).
He said at a press briefing that the program would make it difficult for the rebels to recruit new members.
The 鈥淪upport to the Development Program鈥�, a component of what Duterte defense officials said was a whole-of-government approach to the insurgency, offers P20 million in development projects to each of 822 villages that had been cleared of communist rebels.
鈥淚n the long run we will not be continually addressing a conflict. Instead, we are building resilient communities that will bring economic development to the countryside,鈥� Esperon said.
鈥淣PA will lose its source of strength,鈥� he said in Filipino, referring to New People鈥檚 Army, the armed component of Communist Party of the Philippines.
The NPA has been waging a countryside rebellion for 50 years already, fuelled by agrarian unrest and social injustice in areas where there鈥檚 barely any government presence. It has become one of the world鈥檚 longest-running insurgencies.
Esperon said while the village development programs appeared to be costly, it would be more expensive to 鈥渇orever maintain鈥� one company of an infantry unit, which he estimated would cover three villages.
鈥淚f there would be no guerrilla bases, they can鈥檛 hide anymore,鈥� Esperon said in Filipino about communist rebels. He said the villages had been 鈥渘eglected that鈥檚 why they cling to an organization that gives false hopes.鈥�
The budget proposal drew controversy after opposition members of the House of Representatives alleged that the program was a form of 鈥減ork barrel鈥� for ex-military generals.
Esperon brushed off the allegations.
鈥淲ho doesn鈥檛 want this to continue?鈥� he said. 鈥淚 believe those who don鈥檛 want this are pro-NPA,鈥� he added.
鈥淒on鈥檛 say it鈥檚 the pork barrel of General Esperon because the implementing agency which will release funds to municipalities is DBM,鈥� he said in Filipino, using the acronym for Department of Budget and Management.
鈥淚, as vice chairman of NTF ELCAC is just doing coordination action,鈥� he said. NTF ELCAC stands for National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.