BALOI, Lanao del Norte (PIA)---Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Executive Order 70 which created the National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and institutionalized the "whole-of-nation" approach is the “best thing that ever happened” in the country, particularly in the fight against insurgency.

"Dito po ay nagtulong-tulong ang lahat ng sector ng society to bring about changes in the way we deliver basic services to our feloow countrymen," he said during the 55th Engineer Brigade's 24th anniversary celebration.

He emphasized that with the institutionalization of the whole-of-nation approach, basic services are now being brought to far-flung barangays and sitios not just by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and local government units but also by national agencies and even the private sector.

He stressed that this approach is now bearing fruits.

"We are seeing that, by the end of this year, matatalo na natin ang local community armed conflict," he said.

The CGPO said they may not be able to totally eradicate or annihilate the terrorist group, but at least the group would become insignificant already.

Brawner also bared that by next year their focus will be shifted to territorial defense. With this, he disclosed that the 55th Engineer Brigade will be converted into a combat engineer regiment to help address external threats. (APB/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)