LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Provincial Peace and Order Council and the Anti-Drug Abuse Council recently passed a resolution creating the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-Elcac).
The resolution stated that while Benguet is not a communist armed conflict-affected province and has no vulnerable barangays, the establishment of the task force in the province will strengthen its local or traditional conflict resolution and management mechanisms.
It will also establish formal and informal avenues for continuing dialogue and participation of peace stakeholders among peace and order councils, local development councils, and Katarungang Pambarangay.
The resolution is seen to strengthen Executive Order 50 earlier issued by Gov. Melchor Diclas, which establishes the provincial Elcac.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Rufina Fegcan said the joint resolution reinforces the existence and establishment of the task force, which is chaired by the governor and with the DILG as head of the secretariat.
President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 70 last Dec. 4, 2018 institutionalizing the whole-of-nation approach to attain inclusive and sustainable peace. It mandates the creation of a national task force to end local communist armed conflict to be replicated in the lower levels of governance to address the root causes of local armed conflict prioritizing the delivery of basic government services, social development packages, and construction of needed infrastructures to usher development as part of the country’s peace agenda.
Among the functions of the task force are to ensure the creation of municipal task forces, ensure that the local government units include peace building initiatives, and provide technical assistance at the municipal level.
Members are the Philippine National Police, Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee chair on peace and order and public safety, Liga ng mga Barangay, Sangguniang Kabataan, provincial government offices such as the Planning and Development, Health Office, Social Welfare and Development, Budget, Accounting, Agriculture Office, Engineering Office, Environment and Natural Resources Office, Prosecutor’s Office, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Army, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Education, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Department of Public Works and Highways. – Susan C. Aro
April 23, 2024
