State-run policy think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) warned that decades of armed conflict in the country have exacted a heavy toll, including tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced, and called for more coordinated, sustained, and incentive-aligned peacebuilding efforts.

In a Jan. 7 discussion paper titled “Toward Resolutions and Reconciliations: Understanding the Elements of Peacebuilding in the Philippines,” researchers from PIDS emphasized that peacebuilding works best when economic, political, and security incentives are aligned, and state commitments are seen as credible and long-lasting.

“Peacebuilding success in the Philippines should be assessed not only by the signing of peace agreements but, more fundamentally, by the human and social costs that have been avoided,” PIDS said.

Authored by PIDS senior research fellow Adoracion M. Navarro and research analyst Janina Sofia H. Jacinto, the paper highlighted the heavy toll of decades-long conflicts. These include approximately 40,000 deaths in clashes between Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), around 150,000 fatalities in central and western Mindanao, and roughly 3.2 million people displaced by violence between 2008 and 2022.

PIDS noted that lasting peace emerges when government efforts—such as confidence-building measures, development programs, ceasefires, legal settlements, and reconciliation initiatives—work together with aligned incentives and credible commitments. It stressed that “steadfast peacebuilding pays off economically.”

To strengthen peacebuilding, PIDS recommended designing interventions around incentive compatibility, ensuring that cooperation brings greater and more predictable benefits than renewed conflict for all parties. The think tank emphasized the need to closely align security measures with socioeconomic programs to enhance the effectiveness of peace initiatives.

The paper also called for the institutionalization and digitalization of monitoring and evaluation systems to track real outcomes—beyond mere outputs—particularly for reintegration programs such as Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) and barangay-level development projects.

In terms of fiscal accountability, PIDS suggested a special audit by the Commission on Audit (COA) for peacebuilding and reintegration programs to address efficiency gaps across initiatives such as ECLIP, PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA), and Barangay Development Program (BDP). It also recommended the development of integrated databases and results-based monitoring systems to track beneficiaries across programs over time.

The think tank further called for reconciliation ceremonies highlighting women’s roles to strengthen former armed groups and support community healing. It recommended involving neutral facilitators, including civil society organizations, faith groups, and academics, to enhance trust and transparency in peacebuilding processes.

Addressing the persistent challenges in negotiations with CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front (NDF), PIDS suggested that the Philippines could learn from Thailand’s experience, where the end of communist insurgency was achieved through a mix of military containment, amnesty, and political and socioeconomic inclusion. The report said that a similar approach could guide the remaining peacebuilding work in the country.

Finally, the paper stressed that lasting peace requires tackling the root causes of conflict, particularly in rural and indigenous communities. By fostering local engagement, dialogue with government institutions, and inclusive political participation, conflict transformation strategies could build trust and help resolve the remaining CPP-NPA-NDF conflicts, PIDS said.