DBM OKs P1.4B PAMANA fund

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of over P1.4 billion to fund projects under the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn or PAMANA Program.

In a statement on Monday, Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. extended his gratitude to DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and her team for their unwavering support of the PAMANA Program, which is overseen by OPAPRU.

“Sec. Pangandaman’s approval of this crucial fund release for PAMANA is a resounding affirmation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision — that no Filipino should be left behind in the march toward lasting peace and inclusive progress,” Galvez said.

The PAMANA Program, jointly implemented by OPAPRU and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), serves as the national government’s flagship peace and development initiative. It delivers community-driven interventions, especially in areas long affected by armed conflict and underdevelopment.

The program has two tracks: the Peace and Development Project and the LGU-led Livelihood Track.

Both are designed to empower communities through better services, infrastructure, and economic support.

Out of the P1.4 billion allocation, P351 million has been set aside for capacity-building projects in approximately 200 communities, while P1.049 billion will fund sustainable livelihood programs benefiting residents in 981 barangays located in peace and development focus areas across the country.

“Peacebuilding is not just about silencing the guns. It is about restoring trust, rebuilding lives, and ensuring that communities have the resources they need to develop and thrive,” Galvez emphasized.

“This funding will transform forgotten villages into beacons of progress, stability, and resilience,” he added.

Meanwhile, a key component of the PAMANA budget is the P500 million allocation for peace and development case management — a holistic process designed to support the recovery of individuals, families, and communities affected by conflict and displacement.

“It is a healing fund — not just in monetary terms, but in the emotional and social sense. This is about justice, dignity, and hope,” Galvez noted.

Galvez said that the “PAMANA Program is now making a tangible difference” in communities through vital infrastructure projects that enhance connectivity and livelihood initiatives that empower beneficiaries to earn sustainable incomes.

He emphasized that the DBM’s newly approved funding “will ensure that these gains are not only preserved but expanded, reaching indigenous peoples in the highlands, former combatants, women, youth, and vulnerable sectors whose aspirations for peace are often their most courageous act.”