May 4, 2021
Drilon questions 'speedy' release of P10.6-B out of P19-B NTF-ELCAC fund amid calls to realign it to COVID-19 response
Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon questioned the government's spending priorities amid the pandemic and criticized why the country's controversial anti-insurgency program is given priority in the release of the budget amid tight government resources.
Citing the data from the Department of Budget and Management, Drilon said the total fund releases for the National Task Force to End Local Communism and Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has already reached P10.68 billion as of April 2021. NTF-ELCAC has a total appropriation of P19 billion under the 2021 General Appropriations Act and of which, P16.4 billion will go to its Barangay Development Program wherein each of over 800 barangays will receive P20 million.