Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian paid a courtesy visit to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) on Monday (February 9) to meet with Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and discuss efforts at strengthening joint peace and development initiatives in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Secretary Gatchalian stressed the importance of conducting case management for an assessment of the needs of former members of non-stated armed groups (FMNSAGs) and those affected by conflict and to evaluate the program’s impact.
“We conduct the decommissioning payouts, but more importantly, we carry out case management to ensure that the former members of non-stated armed groups reintegrate properly into their communities,” Secretary Gatchalian said in a Facebook post after the meeting.
Social case management is conducted under the DSWD’s Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PDBBM) program.
Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay of the DSWD’s Peace and Development Group (PDG) underscored the importance of the partnership between the DSWD and the OPAPRU in translating peace agreements into concrete support on the ground.
“In many of these communities, conflict has shaped daily life for decades. Our work is about helping people move forward, and our coordination with OPAPRU allows us to respond faster and more appropriately, especially for families who have been displaced or disrupted by years of unrest,” Undersecretary Tanjusay said on Tuesday (February 10).
Undersecretary Tanjusay said that under the PDBBM—which includes the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) and other programs—thousands of individuals and families have been reintegrated and given the corresponding aid in 2025.
“These programs are about giving people a real chance to move forward. Through PDBBM, thousands of families in 2025 were not just assisted, but guided back into community life with dignity and hope,” Undersecretary Tanjusay noted.
The DSWD reaffirms its commitment to continue working closely with the OPAPRU and other partner agencies to strengthen peace-building efforts, particularly in conflict-affected and vulnerable areas, and to ensure that inclusive social protection and development services remain at the core of the country’s peace and reconciliation agenda. (CC)
