The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided assistance to 27,589 former members of non-state armed groups through its peace-building initiative, officials announced Sunday.

The program, known as Peace and Development–Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PD-BBM), was established in 2023 to support the reintegration of former combatants and residents in areas affected by armed conflict.

Director Miramel Laxa, the program’s national manager, said in a radio interview Saturday that establishing peace is a fundamental pillar of national development.

“If there is no peace, there is no progress, there will be no development,” Laxa said. “Infrastructures and programs will be wasted if there is chaos; it will all be destroyed.”

The beneficiaries include 25,759 former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Alex Boncayao Brigade, and various disbanded private armed groups.

Currently, 27,589 individuals out of a target 32,315 are under DSWD case management, a process that assesses their specific needs for reintegration. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian has instructed the program to move beyond one-time grants toward sustainable support.