BALBALAN, Kalinga (PIA)–The Kalinga Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict(PTF- ELCAC) continues to reach out to geographical isolated and disadvantaged areas to deliver services and to conduct barangay consultation.
The PTF-ELCAC delivered a package of services to Barangay Pantikian in this town on November 22 under the government’s ‘whole-of-a-nation’ approach.
The services delivered by the ELCAC Provincial Task Force included free medical consultation and medicines that benefited 132 residents, 32 for dental services and 25 for circumcision. There were also eight who availed of free hair care while 25 children were recipients of the distribution of school supplies and Read-a-Book project.
Barangay Pantikian with 210 households is one of the barangays in the province that has been cleared from presence of communist insurgents.
During the barangay consultation, Pantikian Barangay Chairman Rosito Borreta, on behalf of the community, declared an all-out support to the government, and denouncing the atrocities and false promises of the New People’s Army (NPA).
He said their village adopts an ordinance declaring the NPA as “persona-non-grata”.
PTF-ELCAC Chairperson, Governor James S. Edduba commended the people of the barangay for being in the side of the government, which he said brings true development.
The entire community of Pantikian could now attest that change for improvement is attained only under the democratic form of government, Edduba said.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Anthony Manolo Ballug reminded the community that if they want development, they should go for peace, and if they want peace, give development a place.
Normally in the community consultation, gov’t programs or projects identified in the Barangay Development Plan are prioritized and referred to concerned agencies.(JDP/LL-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
