BAGUIO CITY— In a bid to further strengthen the government’s efforts to combat the communist insurgency and other armed conflicts, the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) here convened promoting integrity and good governance among cluster members.
“One of the many challenges we face right now is how to resist temptations, particularly in monetary terms apart from enforcing good governance in our jurisdiction,” said RTF-ELCAC vice chairperson and presiding officer, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
Adding, “Leadership requires its own set of skills, but genuine management is a foundational skill to becoming an effective leader,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a speech delivered by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Director Cameron Odsey, Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Cordillera and DA Secretary William Dar underscored that all hands are needed to achieve the goals and targets of the ELCAC with policy advice, technical assistance, and financial resources.
“All agencies of government must plan to allocate budgets for specific programs, projects, and activities under ELCAC and must continue to consolidate and guide a whole of government approach to end local communist armed conflict and address development concerns in affected communities,” he said.
He emphasized that there is a need to advance social and economic development of the region as a deterrent against local communist armed conflicts and aggression, and as a main thrust in alleviating the impact of the pandemic in the region.
“Our thrust sought to advance the quality of life and well-being of our fellow brother and sister Filipinos above political beliefs and orientations throughout the region and in identified communist influenced barangays,” he said.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), created thru President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Executive Order 70, supervises the RTF-ELCAC which is responsible for the implementation of the national programs and policies at the regional level.
The program espouses a focused, coordinated, and sustained delivery of the government’s basic services as well as social development packages in poor, conflict-affected and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas in the region. (PMTG/DILG-CAR)