Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Philippine has provided cash assistance on February 15 to three former violent extremists (FVes) in Lanao Del Norte who have returned to the fold of the law in order to lead normal lives.
“The provision of cash assistance is the contribution of the DSWD to the whole-of-nation approach to end armed conflict,” DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay said during the payout activity.
The former violent extremists received Php10,000 each from the DSWD under the Assistance to Individuals to Crisis Situations (AICS) program as part of its support to the implementation of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which is one of the lines of efforts under Executive Order No.70 (EO 70), series of 2018.
According to Usec. Tanjusay, the beneficiaries joined violent extremist movements due to poverty, as they were promised a better life.
“They decided to return to the mainstream community when they realized that their needs and the needs of their families could not be met by these groups, while the Philippine Government offers them hope of a better future,” the DSWD official said.
In 2020, Administrative Order No. 25 amended AO 10 to include former violent extremists as beneficiaries.
