Posted on by Digital Media Service

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary for Inclusive- Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay (seated, third from right) joins other participants of the Southeast Asian Regional Conference on Multisectoral Partnership in Penang Malaysia on Tuesday (November 28).
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary for Inclusive- Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay (seated, third from right) joins other participants of the Southeast Asian Regional Conference on Multisectoral Partnership in Penang Malaysia on Tuesday (November 28).

A senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has showcased the agency’s peace and development programs at the Southeast Asian Regional Conference on Multisectoral Partnership in Penang, Malaysia.

The  3-day conference was organized by the United Nations to tackle the evolving issues and needs to prevent violent extremism in the region.
DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan A. Tanjusay represented Secretary Rex Gatchalian at the UN-sponsored conference, which commenced on Tuesday (November 28).
During the plenary session, Usec. Tanjusay shared with organizers and participants the DSWD’s peace and development programs and activities designed for former rebels, former violent extremists, and their families including Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (CSAC) and Children in Armed Conflict (CIAC).
Usec. Tanjusay highlighted the strong case management tools being utilized by the DSWD social workers in handling former combatants and children in armed conflict, as a significant component of the department’s overall peace agenda.
“The secret to DSWD’s success with its peace and development programs are the combination of its dedicated social workers and efficient development workers, and the determination of the Marcos administration’s peace agenda strategy,” Usec. Tanjusay pointed out.
The DSWD representative to the regional conference shared various interventions such as emergency food and cash assistance, modified shelter assistance with a cash-for-work program, sustainable livelihood program, and various community-driven development approaches for the rehabilitation and reintegration of surrenderees and their families into communities.
“These strategies help nurture peace, embrace development, drive local investments, and generate employment in geographically isolated, conflict-affected and vulnerable areas across the Philippines,” Usec. Tanjusay pointed out.
The Southeast Asian Regional Conference, which aims to capitalize on the momentum generated by previous initiatives and actively engage key stakeholders in Southeast Asia to address the multifaceted challenges posed by violent extremism, will conclude on Thursday (November 30). #