CEBU — Former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan urged the government to focus on strengthening the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) instead of creating a separate task force to address insurgency.
“Let the AFP do its job with support from other government agencies,” he said during a forum in Cebu City. He added that he prefers more effective approaches to end insurgency rather than forming another task force.
### Debate Over Insurgency Task Force
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier insisted on maintaining the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). This came amid growing calls to abolish the group.
To support local projects, the National Security Council revealed that Marcos directed the Department of Budget and Management to add P5 million for each barangay’s development this year.
### Barangay Funding Changes
The National Expenditure Program initially allocated P10 million per barangay in 2025 for 780 barangays cleared of communist rebels. However, the General Appropriations Act reduced this amount to P2.5 million per barangay.
Meanwhile, the task force reported only one remaining weakened guerrilla front in the country, located in Camarines Sur. They expect this group to be dismantled before the year ends.
