PEACE efforts in the Philippines are more likely to succeed when security, economic, and political interventions are implemented together to make cooperation more beneficial than returning to violence, according to a new study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). In the study, “Toward Resolutions and Reconciliations: Understanding the Elements of Peacebuilding in the Philippines,” PIDS Senior Research Fellow Adoracion Navarro and Research Analyst Janina Sofia Jacinto examined decades of peace initiatives involving separatist movements in Mindanao and communist insurgencies nationwide. Using interviews and a review of peace agreements, government policies, and program implementation reports, the researchers identified six key elements that influence peacebuilding outcomes: confidence-building measures, peace agreements, socioeconomic programs, cessation of hostilities, political and legal settlements, and transitional justice and reconciliation. These interventions work best when economic, political, and security incentives are aligned and when government commitments are delivered consistently over time, the study said. It found that livelihood and reintegration support could determine whether former combatants return to civilian life. From 2016 to September 2025, the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program assisted about 11,700 former rebels, providing them nearly P966 million in aid, including livelihood support, reintegration assistance, and cash incentives for surrendered firearms. Such interventions, the study said, could shift the cost-benefit calculations of former combatants and communities by creating pathways toward sustainable livelihoods and social integration. Beyond individual-level support, the study pointed to large-scale development initiatives such as the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn Program (Pamana), which invested P56.62 billion from 2011 to 2022 in infrastructure, livelihood, and social services across conflict-affected areas. More recent allocations included over P1 billion in 2024 and P1.26 billion in 2025 for priority projects such as roads, bridges, and water systems. In Mindanao, the transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), alongside initiatives such as the transformation of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) camps, reflected efforts to integrate political settlements with long-term socioeconomic support for former combatants and their communities. However, the study noted that progress remained uneven due to delays in delivering assistance, weak coordination among implementing agencies, and gaps in monitoring systems — factors that could undermine confidence in reintegration programs and slow peacebuilding outcomes. The research emphasized that peacebuilding must be understood as an ongoing process requiring sustained support, including safety guarantees, stable housing, access to services, and community acceptance, rather than a one-time intervention. It also pointed to the role of local governments in ensuring assistance reaches intended beneficiaries and responds to local needs, while stressing the need to address deeper structural issues such as inequality, land disputes, and political exclusion.