Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Thursday urged the government to realign the funds meant for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to aid lockdown-affected Filipinos.
“Nabalitaan natin recently ‘yung pag-release ng bilyon-bilyong pondo para sa NTF-ELCAC. Habang hindi pa tayo nakakaahon mula sa pandemya, ipagpaliban muna natin ito at tiyakin na walang Pilipinong magugutom,” Robredo said in a statement.
The anti-insurgency task force has a P19-billion budget.
The vice president also called for faster distribution of the government’s cash aid for individuals and families who will be affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila.
“Sa panahong ito, dapat wala tayong ibang priority kundi ‘yung makapagbigay ng agarang tulong sa mga pamilyang apektado ng lockdown, lalo na ‘yung mga nawalan ng kabuhayan,” Robredo said.
“Pang-ilang ECQ na natin ito, so we expect na sana by now, naplantsa na natin ‘yung proseso at sistema ng delivery ng assistance. Ayuda muna bago ang lahat,” she added.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque earlier said that P13.1 billion of financial aid would be distributed to ECQ-affected Filipinos.
The cash aid would amount to P1,000 per individual or a maximum of P4,000 per family.
In response to Robredo’s call, Roque asserted the need for the NTF-ELCAC.
“Iyong ELCAC po, iyan po ay solusyon para mawala na ang giyera dito sa ating bayan. Kaya nga po binibigyan natin ng pondo, para sa mga proyekto na makakabuti sa kabuhayan iyong mga barangays na mayroon pong laban, dahil alam natin na kapag gutom ang pinagmumulan ng labanan,” he said in a Palace briefing.
“Kung mali po iyan. Bahala na po kayo,” he added. John Ezekiel J. Hirro