Manila: Around 280 insurgency-cleared barangays will be included in the list of the beneficiaries of the Barangay Development Program (BDP), the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) said Wednesday. This decision follows a recommendation made during the 7th Executive Committee (Execom) Meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Malaca±an Palace.

According to Philippines News Agency, the inclusion of these barangays was recommended by NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. during a discussion with reporters. The Executive Committee decided to include the 280 barangays that have been cleared of local terrorist groups by security forces, making them eligible for the BDP.

The incoming BDP beneficiaries are from Zamboanga City, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, and Basilan. It was noted that villages from Sulu, Lanao del Sur, and Zamboanga City will first receive support from the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) in 2026 and will be integrated into the BDP by 2027. Meanwhile, the cleared villages from Basilan and Maguindanao del Sur are set to become RCSP beneficiaries in 2027 and BDP recipients in 2028.

Torres emphasized the commitment to continue the Barangay Development Program as a means of supporting communities previously influenced by the CPP-NPA-NDF. As of now, 4,830 barangays are being served from 2021 to 2025, with more than 3,000 additional barangays to be served up to 2028.

The RCSP is designed to address local community issues by implementing necessary programs and projects to close governance and development gaps, promoting sustainable peace and development. The BDP, a key initiative of the NTF-ELCAC, aims to foster development in former conflict-prone communities, with each village recipient receiving a package of programs, activities, and projects valued at up to PHP20 million.