MANILA, Philippines — The government has invested P44.90 billion in development projects in 5,638 villages (barangay) formerly affected by communist insurgency from 2021 to 2026, with more than 16 million Filipinos reported to have benefited from the program, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) said Thursday.
The Barangay Development Program (BDP) has delivered 1,592.85 kilometers of farm-to-market roads, 964 classrooms, 23,763 streetlights, 1,178 water and sanitation systems, 9,343 electrification projects and 551 health and medical stations, according to data from the Department of the Interior and Local Government as of Oct. 13.
The program provides infrastructure and basic services to communities previously affected by the communist insurgency, under the government's whole-of-nation approach to address the roots of armed conflict.
The NTF-ELCAC said P8.08 billion had been allocated in 2026 for projects in more than 800 villages cleared of insurgent influence.
The BDP is implemented through the Local Government Support Fund-Support to the Barangay Development Program, which finances development projects in eligible communities.
The program forms part of the government's strategy under Executive Order 70, signed in December 2018, which established a whole-of-nation approach to ending local communist armed conflict by combining security operations with socioeconomic development, good governance and community participation.
The task force said the projects are intended to address problems such as poor road access, inadequate school facilities, limited electricity, insufficient potable water and gaps in health services that can make communities vulnerable to recruitment by communist armed groups.
The NTF-ELCAC reported that 33,381 villages in 62 provinces had attained Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status as of October 2026.
Of these, 21,204 villages in 45 provinces belonged to nine regions declared to have achieved SIPS status, while 12,177 villages in 17 provinces, cities and municipalities were in regions still progressing toward full SIPS status.
NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Danilo Pamonag said the expanding coverage reflected the government's efforts to reduce the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front and strengthen local governments' capacity to maintain peace and security.
The task force described the SIPS figures as evidence of declining communist armed influence, although the figures alone do not establish the extent to which development projects contributed to the reported security gains.
The NTF-ELCAC said sustained government services and economic opportunities were necessary to prevent communities from returning to conditions that had allowed armed groups to establish influence.
It cited roads that connect farmers to markets, schools that expand educational opportunities, electrification that supports local economic activity, and water and health facilities that improve access to essential services.
The task force said the government would continue the effort under the National Action Plan for Unity, Peace and Development, which seeks to sustain gains under Executive Order 70 and strengthen development in communities affected by armed conflict.
