Former defense secretary and senatorial candidate Gilbert “Gino” Teodoro on Sunday said he supports the strengthening of the Barangay Development Program, a hallmark program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
The particular program aims to bring development in former conflict-ridden communities to encourage people to abandon insurgency and bring them closer to government.
The former Tarlac representative said the Barangay Development Program is a good initiative that addresses underlying factors of conflicts such as inequality, extreme poverty, and hunger.
The program seeks to open opportunities that will improve the lives of those who return to the fold of the law.
The UniTeam Alliance senatorial bet said the Program creates an environment that nurtures communities, and this should be strengthened by boosting the capability of the local government units in providing basic social services and livelihood opportunities, especially in the remote areas.
“The end or absence of conflict is not enough to say that peace has prevailed. We should be able to sustain peace, and the Barangay Development Program will help,” Teodoro said.
“We have to nurture this kind of initiative to ensure sustainable development in communities torn by armed conflict,” he stressed.