The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has recommended a series of measures to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sustain gains against communist insurgency, including extending the government’s amnesty program for former rebels.
The proposals were presented during the task force’s 9th Executive Committee Meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday, where Marcos also administered the oath of newly designated Cabinet Officers for Regional Development and Security (CORDS).
The meeting reviewed evolving tactics of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG), updates on the Barangay Development Program (BDP), and ongoing reintegration and legislative initiatives to strengthen peacebuilding efforts in former conflict areas.
NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. said the task force recommended extending the amnesty program, which ended in March, and prioritizing measures such as the proposed Terror Grooming Prevention Bill to counter recruitment and radicalization, particularly among the youth.
Torres said the evolving threat landscape—including recruitment networks, disinformation, and foreign-linked support systems—requires a more adaptive and institutionalized government response.
The task force also called for expanded development funding and stronger coordination between national agencies and local government units to improve service delivery in conflict-affected communities.
Torres stressed that insurgency must be addressed not only through security operations but also through sustained development interventions. He cited convergence programs that have supported infrastructure projects such as farm-to-market roads, school buildings, health facilities, electrification, and water systems in former rebel-influenced areas.
According to the task force, nearly 10,000 infrastructure and development projects worth P46.85 billion have been completed under the BDP, benefiting about 15.85 million residents across 5,638 barangays.
These include 1,477 kilometers of roads, 901 classrooms, 1,121 water and sanitation systems, 509 health stations, 6,536 electrification projects, and nearly 20,000 streetlights.
NTF-ELCAC officials also urged continued cooperation among government agencies, local governments, and civil society to sustain long-term peace and development efforts.
Separately, National Amnesty Commission (NAC) Chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento renewed her call for remaining insurgents to surrender, as the government moves to extend the amnesty program by two more years.
She said the proposal has been submitted to the Office of the President and is awaiting approval.
Tanodra-Armamento added that applications filed during the interim period may be provisionally accepted pending a decision on the extension.
So far, the President has approved 20 of more than 16,000 amnesty applications, covering former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and one former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) member.
Under proclamations issued in 2023, the government granted amnesty to qualified members of several armed groups, with application deadlines closing in March this year.