Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah "Mina" F. Pangandaman led the conduct of the second Joint Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (JRTF-ELCAC) CARAGA Full Council Meeting as part of her visit to Butuan City today, 30 August 2024.

 

Secretary Mina met with regular members of the CARAGA JRTF-ELCAC, composed of local government officials, key representatives from national line agencies, and members of civil society organizations, as the designated Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORD).

 

CORDS are tasked to oversee the peace and development efforts in every region across the country.

 

"I encourage everyone to sustain our efforts and continue employing not just a whole-of-government, but also a whole-of-nation approach to develop strategic solutions that lead to lasting development," Secretary Mina urged the members of the JTRF-ELCAC CARAGA.

 

"We are lucky to have a leader who strongly advocates for a unified and peaceful ‘Bagong Pilipinas’,” where attaining our peace agenda and bolstering community development are a top priority," Secretary Mina said.

 

"In fact, for the upcoming year, the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has allocated a total of Php 7.8 billion under the FY 2025 National Expenditure Program to fund the Support to the Barangay Development Program of the National Task Force (NTF) ELCAC," she continued.

 

The allotted budget will support the construction of farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation systems, health stations, and electrification of 780 cleared barangays certified by the task force.

 

"Ito po ang aming pagpapakita at pagpapatotoo sa pangako ng administrasyon na patuloy na palakasin at bigyan ng kaukulang suporta ang ating mga komunidad na sakop ng programa. Sa ganitong paraan, masisiguro po nating natutulungan ang ating mga kababayan na magkaroon ng access sa mga proyekto at serbisyong magpapabuti sa kalidad ng kanilang pamumuhay," Secretary Mina said.

 

During the meeting, the council also discussed several important matters in their agenda, including the peace and development milestones in CARAGA region, the work and financial plan for FY 2025, and the latest development on the RTF-ELCAC Operations Center.