BUTUAN CITY – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is implementing the P220-million Kalayaan sa Barangay Program (KBP) in the 44 barangay (villages) of Surigao del Sur – particularly those in far-flung areas.

Despite some hindrances, the AFP, through its unit – the Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade (IB), remains steadfast in its effort to improve the delivery of services to the 44 villages with a P5-million allocation per village.

“Our troops in that province are not for combat but as implementers of government projects to usher in peace and development in insurgency-prone areas,” said regional Army spokesman Maj. Mitchele B. Anayron Jr.

He said the area command chief of the Army’s 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (ID) ordered 401st Brigade commander Col. Danny Fabian to step up their peace and development projects in Surigao del Sur.

Meanwhile, the 4th ID chief also directed the Brigade commander to secure the safety of the civilians, particularly those living in remote areas from harassment and extortion activities of the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and other lawless groups, Anayron said.

The implementation of KBP projects was halted last month following an alleged mass evacuation of indigenous peoples (IPs).

However, the more than 1,400 IPs have already returned to their respective homes and farmlands after the government security forces cleared the 15 IP communities in Lianga town of that same province, Army spokesman said.

The Engineering Unit of the 401st Brigade already started their surveys on six villages for the implementation of P30 million worth of program interventions like improvements of road networks, establishment of farm-to-market roads, electrification, water supply facility, and livelihood projects.

“If the people in these areas will cooperate and let the military accomplish the KBP, the convergence project can follow through where other government agencies can extend more developmental programs for poverty alleviation,” Fabian said.

The people in the 44 villages in Liangga, Diatagon and Carasscal, all in Surigao del Sur, will be deprived of the government’s developmental project if cessation of hostilities will not be achieved and by the end of December 2009 the P220-million fund allocation will be reverted back to the Department of National Defense (DND), it was gathered.

However, Lt. Col. Benjamin Pedralvez, commanding officer of the 58th IB operating in Surigao del Sur, said their troops are committed to put an end to the decades-old problem of communist insurgency carrying out the government’s goal to rehabilitate and develop conflict-affected areas as contained in the National Peace Plan (NPP).