TWELVE people’s organizations (POs) in Valencia City each received ₱300,000 in livelihood assistance, totaling ₱3.6 million, under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program during a ceremonial check turnover at the Valencia City covered court on Aug. 24.
The multi-agency initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) X, aims to provide capital for community-based enterprises, enhance organizational sustainability, and generate sustainable income for local families and former rebels undergoing reintegration.
Valencia City Mayor Amie Galido Galario led the distribution ceremony alongside representatives from DSWD Region 10, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), and local government officials.
The beneficiary groups encompass diverse sectors, including farmers, women’s groups, indigenous cultural communities, and local driver associations:
- Davao Sea Association
- PAMISA Association
- Sinayawan Unity Association
- Buco Paglaum Banlag Association
- Mapantao Women’s Association
- Manubo Kulamanon in Pantaron Association
- Manubo Kulamanon Tribal Association
- Mapantao Farmers Association
- Bulacao Riders Association
- Laligan Farmers Association
- Laligan Women’s Association
- Bulacao Women’s Association
Military support for reintegration and peace
The 89th Infantry Battalion, under the leadership of commanding officer LTCOL Antonio G. Bulao I, assisted in coordinating the activity as the primary handling unit overseeing the recipient organizations.
Bulao underscored that economic empowerment serves as a foundational pillar for long-term peace in conflict-vulnerable communities.
“When we develop an organization, it’s not just its members who rise. Their families and the entire community rise with us,” Bulao said. “So let’s use this assistance as an investment for long-term livelihoods and a more prosperous community.”
Military and social welfare officials highlighted that for “friends rescued” (former rebels), the livelihood assistance offers a stable path toward economic self-sufficiency, enabling them to support their families while reintegrating as productive citizens.
