BALBALAN, Kalinga (PIA) - -The municipal local government unit, member -agencies of the National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflicts (NTF-ELCAC) conducted a multi-sectoral consultation with residents of barangay Balbalasang on November 22-23  to identify priority projects they want for funding under the 2023 Support to Barangay Development Projects.  
 
Initial proposed projects for funding under ELCAC-SBDP are the upgrading of Balbalasang Micro-Hydro Power (Tapao) costing P4.4 million; construction of Barangay Health Station and Lying-in Clinic – P3M; and construction of Level III Saltan Water Works System - P3M. During the workshop, the community further identified programs and projects to serve as shopping list for NTF-ELCAC member-agencies to select which to support.
 
Those identified programs/projects will serve as the framework in seeking funding from various concerned national line agencies as well as by the local government units. 
 
Mayor Almar Malannag echoed the call of 5th Infantry Division  Commanding General Brig. Gen. Aldrin Pacia  to help purge  the  CPP/NPA/NDF  who  did nothing but   to destroy the basic foundation of the family  enticing  their  sons and daughters  to join  their ranks  depriving them of  brighter future.  .
 
 Malannag advised residents to do all-out efforts to convince these communist groups to return to the folds of the law when they happen to meet them visiting their barangay. He said ‘we should not wait for the Army to deploy their personnel who are not iKalingas as we are in a better position to do so because this is our place, and some of those insurgents are our relatives and/or bodong (peacepact) mates.’
 
The multi-sectoral consultation cum revisit of the formulated Barangay Development Plan of the Barangay Council was attended by the LGU and local department heads, Department of the Interior and Local Government, 50IB, the  Philippine National Police , and the barangay council headed by barangay Chairman Edwin Paganao. (JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga)