A CONGRESSMAN on Wednesday questioned the transparency of how the anti-communist task force spends its billion in funds, adding that the Office of the President has a responsibility to monitor both transfers and disbursements.   

“Supposedly, the NTF-ELCAC must record everything that it receives,” Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Danniel A. Manuel said at the plenary hearing of the President’s budget, referring to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.  

Navotas Rep. Toby M. Tiangco, sponsor for the Office of the President budget, acknowledged that there are no detailed records of the task force’s cash flow.   

“We do not have exact records on how the funds of the NTF-ELCAC are spent,” Mr. Tiangco said.  

The task force had a P19.33 billion allocation in 2021, and P17.23 billion this year.     

“For 2023, aside from the P10 billion Barangay Development Program, NTF-ELCAC will have P1.40 billion spread out across agencies,” Mr. Manuel said.   

The additional funds will come from the budgets of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the National Anti-Poverty Commission.  

Mr. Tiangco reassured Congress that the issue will be addressed.   

“The Office of the President will act on that concern to make sure that the funds being sourced and disbursed by the NTF-ELCAC are properly monitored,” he said. — Kyanna Angela Bulan 

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