Military helping agencies build vital projects is key approach

July 28, 2020

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said good governance is the main strategy in a whole-of-government-approach which aims to attain internal peace and security.

"While the AFP does combat operations to defeat the CTG (communist terrorist group) and destroy its support system, relevant agencies charged with construction of farm-to-market roads, bridges, school buildings, health centers, post-harvest facilities and those that create livelihood opportunities and the likes deliver their mandates," Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman said on Tuesday.

"While doing so and towards an unimpeded delivery of government’s basic services, the AFP secures and assists these agencies of government  rather than the military doing them," he added.

In his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) President Rodrigo Duterte noted the vital role of the AFP on the whole-of-nation-approach to address  internal security.

"We still need to address internal security. We are pursuing a whole-of-nation approach to bring peace and order and development in the countryside. We need to provide interventions and implement the Barangay Development Program," Duterte said.

"This refers to a program where the Armed Forces would play a vital role in the one-nation approach... And that everyone, every agency of the government including the Armed Forces of the Philippines should participate," he said.

"I am aware of the skirmishes and the assassination of our soldiers and I said, correct this so that we can proceed with the barangay implementation as fast as possible," he added.

Arevalo said "the AFP plays an important role in a 'whole of government approach' to attain peace and development that are prevented from happening by the CTG and other local Terrorist Group (LTG)."

"This is why the AFP is one of the agencies that compose the National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). The main strategy is good governance," he said.

"The AFP will be instrumental in creating conditions where CTG members will seek to return to the folds of the law (though, intelligence operations, psychological operations and civil affairs aside from armed operations). And government’s frontline agencies will take over and assist through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program," he added. Robina Asido/DMS