Manila: Under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has significantly advanced its peace and development agenda in 2025 through the Peace and Development - Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PDBBM) Program.
According to Philippines News Agency, Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay of the DSWD's Peace and Development Group (PDG) stated that the agency's peace interventions in 2025 benefited thousands of individuals and communities in conflict-affected and conflict-vulnerable areas (CAAs/CVAs) nationwide. This reflects a deliberate shift toward more coordinated, community-centered, and sustainable approaches.
"The gains we achieved in 2025 show that peacebuilding is most effective when social protection, livelihood, and psychosocial support are delivered in a convergent and conflict-sensitive manner," Tanjusay said in a news release on Thursday. Highlighting the DSWD's peace operations in 2025 was the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program, which delivered peace-promotion and conflict-sensitive interventions to isolated and conflict-affected communities.
Under the Peace and Development Track, the DSWD completed 172 community sub-projects using the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach, amounting to PHP319.25 million in grants and administrative costs. These projects include the construction of farm-to-market roads, bridges, water systems, daycare centers, and other basic infrastructure.
In addition to infrastructure support, 511 PAMANA Livelihood Project Associations (PLPAs) were assisted using continuing funds in 2024, totaling PHP153.3 million, while another 186 PLPAs received PHP55.8 million under the 2025 budget. These funds enabled communities to establish enterprises such as processing facilities, common service facilities, portable gasoline stations, farming services, and small retail businesses, according to Tanjusay.
As a key partner in the government's peace agreements, the DSWD also played a vital role in the Normalization Program of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by facilitating assistance to decommissioned combatants (DCs) and their communities. This included cash-for-work (CFW) payouts to 8,649 DCs, providing educational assistance to 2,322 next-of-kin, and distributing seed capital to 5,068 DCs, with total investments amounting to PHP268.84 million.
The DSWD also supported 10 clients under the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Transformation Program. "And ultimately, with the case management of the KAPATIRAN, 194 members received financial aid amounting to a total of Php215,000 through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program," Tanjusay noted. KAPATIRAN consists of former members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade - Tabara Paduano Group (RPM/P-RPA/ABB-TPG).
To further support the transition of former rebels (FRs) and former violent extremists (FVEs), the DSWD intensified its peacebuilding work through the Social Case Management Service for Former Members of Non-State Armed Groups (FMNSAGs), an interactive process that supports psychological recovery and facilitates reintegration into mainstream society. Another major milestone of the program was the establishment of pilot Regional Program Management Offices (RPMOs) at the DSWD's field offices in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Soccsksargen, which strengthened regional coordination and improved program implementation.
"These efforts complemented the continued implementation of PAMANA, the MILF Normalization Program, the MNLF Transformation projects, and reintegration initiatives for KAPATIRAN beneficiaries, FRs, and FVEs," Tanjusay said. In total, 157,402 individuals and 839 households received more than PHP408 million in cash and in-kind assistance through various interventions, including AICS, Social Pension, supplementary feeding, and provision of food and non-food items. Humanitarian support was likewise provided to 280 internally displaced children affected by armed conflict.
Looking ahead to 2026, Tanjusay emphasized that the DSWD is set to further strengthen its peace and development interventions through the nationwide expansion of RPMOs, the rollout of the Integrated Peace and Development Information System (IPDIS), and the development of community-based peace education modules. "These initiatives will help us deliver services faster, more transparently, and with better coordination across all levels, ensuring that no peace community is left behind," he stated.
He further added that peacebuilding remains rooted in people and partnerships. "Real peace stems from caring and cooperation. If the community feels that the government is with them, their hope becomes stronger and long-term peace becomes possible," Tanjusay said. "Through these sustained efforts, the DSWD reaffirms its commitment to advancing inclusive peace and development, ensuring that individuals and communities affected by conflict are supported not only in recovery, but also in building a more stable and hopeful future," he added.
