CEBU CITY — The Visayas Command has stressed that localized peace dialogues organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict are a big boost in gaining the people’s trust in the government.

In a statement, VisCom chief Lt. General Benedict Arevalo said the task force empowers citizens to take the lead to pursue their community’s peace and development.

“Much of what we have accomplished is attributed to the Task Force through its peace dialogue mechanism, community development initiatives, and local government empowerment endeavors,” Arevalo said.

This comes after calls from the United Nations special rapporteur for expression and opinion to abolish NTF-ELCAC for being outdated.

The VisCom chief stressed that there is a great need for a platform for the whole-of-government approach in solving the decades-old insurgency problem.

He cited that through localized peace dialogues of NTF-ELCAC, a total of 218 former members of the New People’s Army surrendered in 2023. They also yielded 196 firearms.

Last month, 14 rebels also returned to the folds of the law and yielded eight firearms.

The task force’s Enhanced Comprehensive Localized Integration Program helped former rebels to smoothly transition and reintegrate into mainstream society.

Arevalo said the 562 Barangay Development Projects in the former NPA-infested communities in the entire Visayas region that have already been completed have put a permanent closure on issues raised against the government.