OPAPRU, Surigao Sur stakeholders craft transformation roadmap for former rebels
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), in partnership with the provincial government of Surigao del Sur through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) Office, conducted the Provincial Former Rebels Transformation Road Map Drafting Workshop in Tandag City.
The May 26–28 activity brought together agencies under the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) and peacebuilding partners to formulate a comprehensive Provincial Transformation Plan that addresses the needs of former rebels, their families, and conflict-affected communities.
The initiative supported the Marcos administration’s whole-of-nation approach to peace and development by addressing the root causes of armed conflict while advancing social healing, sustainable livelihoods, and community reintegration.
During the workshop, participants were divided into four groups to review existing interventions and identify gaps, opportunities, and strategic actions that will shape future programs for former rebels.
Discussions focused on ensuring that government support extends beyond immediate assistance toward long-term self-reliance, productive employment, and active participation in community development.
According to Joyce Jaliober of OPAPRU’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning Service (MEALS), the transformation roadmap will serve as a strategic guide for government agencies and local stakeholders in delivering coordinated and responsive interventions for former rebels and their families.
She said that the MEALS office ensures that peace and development programs are effectively implemented, monitored, evaluated, and continuously improved to achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes.
The proposed roadmap consolidates interventions in livelihood, education, skills development, psychosocial support, healthcare, housing, social protection, and community engagement to help former rebels and peace advocates successfully transition into peaceful and productive civilian life.
Peace advocate ‘MJ,’ who participated in the workshop, emphasized that sustainable peace can be achieved by providing former rebels with opportunities to rebuild their lives and become active contributors to community development. MJ leads the United CarCanMadCarLan for Peace and Development Federation (UCPDF), a clustered people’s organization under the Sur Peace United Farmers Association (SPUFA) that covers the northern municipalities of the province.
They noted that successful reintegration requires the collective commitment of government agencies, local communities, civil society organizations, faith-based groups, and other stakeholders to foster acceptance, healing, and reconciliation.
Participants from different groups also underscored the importance of expanding access to education, employment, and livelihood opportunities to prevent the recurrence of conflict and empower former rebels and their families to contribute positively to society.
For Surigao del Sur, a province that continues to strengthen its peacebuilding and development initiatives, the transformation roadmap marks another significant step toward enhancing local mechanisms that support conflict-affected communities.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office Chief Hershey Nunez, Ma. Lourdes Martinez of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and TESDA Provincial Director Allan Millan, together with partner stakeholders, both expressed optimism that the roadmap will improve inter-agency coordination and ensure the effective and sustainable delivery of government services.
The initiative also complements the government’s broader efforts to foster inclusive growth in geographically isolated and conflict-affected areas, ensuring that no community is left behind in the nation’s development.
As the government continues to advance peacebuilding initiatives under the Bagong Pilipinas agenda, stakeholders believe that investing in the transformation of former rebels is an investment in stronger families, safer communities, and a more peaceful and prosperous Surigao del Sur.
The workshop concluded with the consolidation of recommendations and proposed strategies that will form part of the Provincial Former Rebels Transformation Road Map, a blueprint expected to guide the province’s reintegration and peacebuilding efforts in the years ahead. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)
