RETOOLED COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM

RCSP BACKGROUND

For many years, communities in the countryside have been laden with problems on peace, development, and socio-economic inequalities. Being in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), the government has failed to focus on these areas. This caused peace spoilers to establish their vantage point in propagating their ideologies and agenda of building their government by forging a mass base support that conforms to their lost cause.

Recognizing that armed conflict is part of a broader social, economic, and political problem, adopting a whole-of-nation approach significantly changed the tides in building resilient and peaceful communities. Entailing all levels of the government, most especially at the basic political unit – the barangays, to lead the peacebuilding efforts from the grassroots is the government’s holistic and genuine action in truly realizing its goals.

In support of the whole-of-nation effort of advancing peace and development in the countryside, the Department initiated the implementation of the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP). It is an inclusive program operating at the barangay level that aims to address the collective issues identified by the community members themselves through the provision of government programs and services while ensuring sustainable development and promoting peace in remote communities.

The RCSP has a two-pronged vision: (1) eradicate the root causes of internal conflicts through the delivery of basic services and government interventions; and (2) provide an avenue for the barangays to enhance their local development plans. Through this program, LGUs are at the forefront of bringing the government closer to the people by developing their capability to organize themselves, catalyze their development, and carry out value-chain interventions to uplift the community’s current condition. In simple terms, RCSP aims to Reunify affected sectors and the government; Converge all stakeholders; Synergize all LGU and NGA efforts; and attain Peace towards inclusive growth.

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