More than 36,000 combatants, former rebels (FRs) and former violent extremists (FVEs) have received livelihood grants and other forms of assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) from 2015 to August this year.

In an interview over radio station DZXL on Tuesday (August 13), DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive, Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC) Alan Tanjusay said the DSWD, in collaboration with the OPAPRU, has provided aid under the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and other interventions to members of the Kapatiran para sa Progresong Panlipunan (KAPATIRAN), decommissioned combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), FRs of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CCP-NPA-NDF), and FVEs of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

“Nagsimula ang pagtulong ng DSWD sa ating mga kapatid sa MILF. Kung ating matatandaan, ang MILF ay nakipagkasunduan sa ating gobyerno. Kapalit ng kasunduan na yan ay ang tulong ng gobyerno na mabigyan sila ng pangkabuhayan,” Undersecretary Tanjusay said.

The DSWD official said more than 26,000 MILF combatants have been provided with livelihood grants and other forms of assistance.

Each MILF decommissioned combatant received Php100,000, according to the DSWD undersecretary.

“Ang binibigay natin at ng gobyerno na tulong sa mga kapatid natin na MILF ay Php100,000. Kasama doon sa kanilang pagbalik loob ay yung pagsuko ng kanila ng mga armas sa gobyerno,” Undersecretary Tanjusay pointed out.

For the MNLF combatants, the DSWD and OPAPRU have handed out Php45,000 worth of assistance to each of the beneficiaries.

“Sa bahagi naman ng MNLF, kung matatandaan natin noong 1996 ay nagkaroon ng peace agreements ang MNLF sa ating gobyerno at ngayon ay tinutulungan natin sila. Umaabot na sa 2,000 kapatid natin na combatants sa MNLF ang nabigyan na ng tulong,” Undersecretary Tanjusay pointed out.

The DSWD, together with the OPAPRU, is mandated to provide assistance to combatants and former members of various non-state armed groups, violent extremist groups, and adults and children in armed conflict situations.

“Ang DSWD ay naging kasangkapan ng ating gobyerno, partikular ang OPAPRU, sa pagtulong sa ating mga kababayang dating rebelde na ngayon ay nagbalik-loob sa ating pamahalaan dahil na-realize nila na napakahirap na mamuhay kapag may giyera o may gulo sa kanilang mga lugar kung kaya ay nais nilang mamuhay kasama ang kanilang pamilya nang matahimik at nais nilang maitaguyod ang kanilang pamilya sa maayos na pamamaraan,” Undersecretary
Tanjusay emphasized.#