INFORMATION OPERATION, ECLIP AND CONCEPT OF NTF-ELCAC

"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” —Sun Tzu

Brigade Inspector General of the Naval Engineer Brigade and the Acting Superintendent of the Brigade Training Doctrine Center, CAPT ANTHONY B SIBAYAN PN (GSC).

In this subject, Information Operation (IO), it was emphasized by our instructor that information is a powerful weapon in times of war and peace. You can influence the mind of a person with the amount of information that you carry about them. One thing I learned from the instructor is that when he said that one of the reasons why many troops from the government are decimated on the battlefield is because when they send troops to carry out military operations in the Mindanao region, they send those who came from the "Norte," such as the Cordilleran warriors, In this regard, they are very familiar with the terrain, routes, geography, and safe areas of the enemy. In other words, they are being sent to the enemy’s vantage point. Thus, it is important to gather information and exploit it to your own advantage with your good communication skills.

The Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) is one facet of many strategies of the government to obtain just and lasting peace, social transformation, and inclusive development by catering to individuals who surfaced and wanted to return to the folds of the law and become productive citizens of society. We had learned in this subject matter that ECLIP is one of the projects that caters to the members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) or the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) who turned themselves in. Here, we also discussed the monetary considerations or the financial support being offered by the government. Each REBEL RETURNEE is given an immediate assistance of PHP 15,000.00, a livelihood assistance of PHP 50,000.00 for regular NPA only, and a reintegration assistance of PHP 21,000.00 for receiving units. In addition to that, there is a double amount of surrendered firearms.

THE WHOLE OF NATION APPROACH

On December 2018, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte issued Executive Order 70 (EO 70) synchronizing the government's instrumentalities of power with the capabilities of private sector stakeholders to end 50 years of deceit, lies and atrocities committed by communist terrorists against the Filipino people. The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict is the Whole-of-Nation Approach in defeating the local communist terrorist group and obtaining sustainable and inclusive peace throughout the Philippines.[1]

"The funds for the Barangay Development Program are directly released to the provincial and the city governments who will undertake, administer or contract out the BDP projects. That's the bulk of it. The BDP is branded with good governance. It has no taint of pork barrel."

Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. National Security Adviser, Vice-Chairperson, NTF-ELCAC

[1] About: NTF. ELCAC. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://www.ntfelcac.org/about

From right (CAPT ANTHONY B SIBAYAN PHILIPPINE NAVY (GENERAL STAFF CORPS)