Department of Social Welfare and Development officials led by Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay has flown to Marawi City, Lanao del Sur and conducted a dialogue with former members of the Dawlah Islamiyah as part of their efforts to improve the agency’s peace and development programs.

“The focus group discussions and interviews with ex-members of the non-state armed group are part of DSWD’s continuing efforts to enhance the case management strategy for peace and development through a series of field visits and benchmarking activities,” Undersecretary Tanjusay said yesterday.

“These series of activities are based on the directive of Secretary Rex Gatchalian for the Department to identify effective ways to provide psychosocial interventions for long-term behavioral outcomes of ex-combatants instead of short-term cash assistance only,” he said.