By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Recognizing that poverty has driven some individuals to join armed struggles against the government, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), alongside the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), is intensifying efforts to provide more opportunities for the reintegration of former rebels (FR) into mainstream society.
DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay disclosed this during the Thursday Media Forum on July 18 at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
“Secretary Rex Gatchalian instructed that the DSWD should not only provide cash aid to our citizens but also conduct case management. This involves focusing on each former rebel and extremist to monitor their reintegration into their families and communities, ultimately achieving peace and development in the regions,” Tanjusay explained to reporters.
He noted that focus group discussions with former rebels revealed that poverty was a primary reason for joining non-state and violent extremist groups.
Tanjusay highlighted that the case management, part of the DSWD’s Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PDBBM) Program, underscores the agency’s long-term commitment to the welfare and livelihood of former members of non-state groups, violent extremist groups, and adults and children in armed conflict situations.
“They can change and start anew, provided the government is there to assist them. They are willing to turn their lives around, reunite with their families, oversee their children’s education, and rebuild their homes,” Tanjusay emphasized.
The ‘Buong Bansa Mapayapa’ or BBM peace and development program aims to formalize the convergence of various efforts within the agency to achieve inclusive and sustainable peace and development in conflict-affected and vulnerable areas.
(el Amigo/mnm)
