For decades, the province of Davao Oriental in the Philippines struggled under the scourge of insurgency that stunted human and socioeconomic development. In 2009, the poverty rate had risen to an alarming 44.3%. To address the root causes of conflict and uplift lives, the local government launched the innovative Happy Home Program in 2013. Now celebrating its 10th year, this holistic initiative has reintegrated 519 former rebels while positively transforming the entire province.

Operating from a halfway house and processing center in Mati City, Happy Home facilitates a structured approach for assessing, rehabilitating, and developing tailored reintegration plans for surrenderees. Through counseling, education, livelihood training, and spiritual guidance delivered by an interdisciplinary team, it aims to heal former rebels holistically and ready them for productive civilian life.

Happy Home employs a people-centered process. It encouraged newly-organized associations of former rebels to participate in planning, implementation, and monitoring. These 11 accredited groups federated into a provincial alliance, boosting ownership over the program addressing their unique needs. They now have 560 active members providing feedback to strengthen interventions.

The community-driven model yielded substantial results. All 519 individuals underwent complete de-radicalization, wholeheartedly rejecting extremist ideologies. Through Happy Home’s literacy component coupled with Alternative Learning System partnerships, 296 individuals gained basic skills. Most importantly, its technical-vocational offerings cultivated an entrepreneurial mindset among beneficiaries.

Today, former rebels have started thriving businesses in areas like welding, food processing, baking, carpentry, and agriculture. One couple increased assets from nothing to over PhP500,000 through an expanded sari-sari store transformed into a multifaceted business enterprise. Rigorous participation monitoring by the program and military prevents misuse of startup grants while ensuring 81% of livelihoods prove sustainable and successful.

With insurgency quelled, Davao Oriental has witnessed a tourism boom–growing by an average 3.51% annually, with 2.1 million tourist arrivals from 2014 to 2022. Additionally, the province’s human development indicators flourished–poverty dropped from 44.3% in 2009 to 21.8% according to 2021 data.

These successes stem from Happy Home’s proven formula of empowering communities and cultivating mutual trust instead of violence. Its Peace and Development Outreach Program now replicated nationwide remains guided by participatory approaches, addressing grievances, and stimulating inclusive growth. To safeguard gains, the province passes sustaining legislations and allocates annual budgets for the program integrated within development blueprints.

Happy Home represents best practice in post-conflict transformation. Beyond the immediate beneficiaries, its innovative strategies have uplifted an entire province by rebuilding lives and social cohesion. Through community ownership and multisectoral collaboration, this exemplar model continues adapting to emerging needs while fostering resilient, self-sustaining peace for almost a decade. Other troubled localities may draw inspiration from Davao Oriental’s Happy Home experience.