The Barangay Development Program (BDP), the flagship peace and development initiative of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, should be strengthened and expanded to reach more communities, according to National Anti-Poverty Commission lead convenor Secretary Lope Santos III.

Speaking at the FAQCheck online press conference Wednesday, Santos cited significant progress in more than 5,000 barangays covered by the program since 2021, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

An analysis overlaying BDP coverage with Philippine Statistics Authority Small Area Poverty Estimates showed notable declines in poverty incidence in several former conflict-affected communities, Santos said.

“The BDP should be expanded — not reduced. In my view, we should add more areas to the BDP, not cut it. We must connect more barangays to main roads, telecommunications, and electricity. We must bring development to lowland, upland, and coastal communities alike. That is what we are seeing,” Santos said.