The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) aims to bolster its peace and development initiatives for 2025 with the soon-to-be rolled-out enhanced case management mechanism for former members of non-state armed groups (FMNSAG) and decommissioned combatants.
In an interview over Radyo Pilipinas Davao last January 2, Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay of the Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC) Group said the recalibrated case management approach of the DSWD will begin its pilot testing in three regions in Mindanao within the first month of the year.
“Para masakop talaga natin lahat ng mga FMNSAG at decommissioned combatants, magsasagawa tayo ng case management sa Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) at Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) this January,” ISPSC Undersecretary Tanjusay told Radyo Pilipinas.
Anchored on the DSWD’s Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PDBBM) Program, the fine-tuned case management approach will deploy trained social workers or case managers across the pilot regions to exclusively handle the case management of FMNSAG and decommissioned combatants, including their families.
Specifically, the total family approach shall be employed in assessing the needs and identifying appropriate interventions for the FMNSAG, decommissioned combatants, and their respective families.
“Exclusive ito sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants, sa Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) natin, maging yung mga former Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) surrenderees ay isasailalim sila sa case management, provided na nandoon sila sa tatlong pilot regions,” the DSWD official said.
Undersecretary Tanjusay said the initiative is a much-needed step to fortify the government’s peace-building efforts.
“It will serve as an omnipresent monitoring mechanism on all necessary deliverables and support from the government for the successful reintegration of former rebels and non-state armed groups into mainstream society,” the DSWD official said.
This approach was also developed with the inputs of other national government agencies (NGAs) involved in the peace-building initiatives of the government, according to Undersecretary Tanjusay.
“Bawat FMNSAG at decommissioned combatant natin ay magkakaroon sila ng case folders at sa pamamagitan ng case folders na ito, dito natin ma-momonitor ang bawat isa kung ano ba ang tulong na binibigay ng gobyerno at kung ano pa ang tulong na kinakailangan pa na ibigay ng gobyerno at ang pinakamahalaga ay ang pagbabago na naidulot sa kanila ng mga ahensiya para makapamuhay nang produktibo at maunlad,” Undersecretary Tanjusay explained.
Undersecretary Tanjusay said the case management is designed to promote behavioral change, through the conduct of family development sessions and father social responsibility sessions. (LSJ)
