Some of the 1,060 combatants of the MILF who have been decommissioned since September 2019 are aging warriors who dedicated their lives to fighting on the battlefields to attain Moro self-rule. (Photo by Bong Sarmiento, Inquirer Mindanao)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has expanded its workforce to handle cases of decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.
In a statement on Thursday, the DSWD said the move is part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen peace and development initiatives in the region.
Prior to this, the DSWD鈥檚 Field Office 12 oversaw all decommissioned MILF fighters regardless of their location. However, the agency has delegated this responsibility to Field Offices 9 in the Zamboanga Peninsula and 10 in Northern Mindanao.
鈥淧reviously, the DSWD-12 was responsible for overseeing all MILF decommissioned combatants 鈥� regardless of their geographic location. However, after extensive consultations with key stakeholders, we recognized that a decentralized approach would be more sustainable,鈥� DSWD Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay explained.
READ: MILF on next phase of decommissioning fighters: Resolve issues first
Tanjusay also said the shift is part of preparations for a seamless implementation of the agency鈥檚 鈥渞ecalibrated case management approach鈥� for former rebels.
鈥淭he DSWD expects that with a more decentralized approach, we can ascertain that the government鈥檚 commitments and deliverables are closely monitored, and we can better facilitate the reintegration of our DCs (decommissioned combatants) into mainstream society,鈥� he added.
According to Tanjusay, the recalibrated case management approach involves establishing regional offices in Regions 9 and 10, which will focus on monitoring the reintegration of decommissioned combatants.
鈥淎side from the turnover of case files, we also spearheaded training sessions for a total of 45 peace and development focals. We are making sure that they wouldn鈥檛 jump into their respective roles without fully understanding their duties and responsibilities,鈥� he added.
READ: 12,000 decommissioned MILF combatants given cash aid, attended school
He noted that the hands-on training covered the use of the DSWD鈥檚 digital case management system designed to track the progress of MILF beneficiaries, document interventions, and streamline data management.
The training equipped participants, who will serve as case managers, with the skills to efficiently 鈥渋nput, retrieve, and report鈥� beneficiary data and ensure smooth coordination among field offices, Tanjusay said.