DSWD targets former rebels’ reintegration

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is highlighting a program aimed at helping former rebels and their families transition back into society.

The Social Case Management Service (SCMS) is designed to provide former members of non-state armed groups with sustained guidance and support, according to DSWD Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay.

“Our goal with case management is to stop their violent tendencies,” Tanjusay said. “Second, we need to guide them toward a peaceful life.”

Under the program, DSWD social workers and development workers act as case managers, directly assessing the needs of former rebels, creating intervention plans, and connecting them with government services, including social protection and livelihood programs.

Tanjusay said the SCMS strengthens coordination among various government agencies, allowing for a more data-driven approach to providing assistance.

He added that the goal is to equip former rebels with skills and training to help them become “champions of local peacebuilding.” Social workers will check on beneficiaries every three months.

For 2025, the DSWD aims to assist 32,000 former rebels and families in conflict-affected areas across the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“We are continuing our case management work,” Tanjusay said. “Out of our 32,000 target for this year, we have already case managed 24,000. We are close to fulfilling this.”