By Junex Doronio

MANILA —  Apparently piqued by the suspicion of some senators that the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) was being used in the controversial people’s initiative (PI) campaign, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday said he is ready to face Congress to defend the P26.7 billion social assistance program for the near poor.

“Ako, I’ve always said this: Matagal na naming gusto iyan sa departamento. And if I am invited in any of the chambers, whether Congress or the Senate, I would gladly explain the rationale why we like a program for the near poor,” Gatchalian said in Malacañang briefing.

He noted that  the P26.7 billion social assistance program, which aims to aid minimum wage earners or the “near-poor,” was a welcome addition to the DSWD budget.

“Gusto naming ipaliwanag kung bakit mahalaga magkaroon ng ganitong klaseng ayuda para sa ating mga minimum wage earners… Sila iyong tumutulong sa ating ekonomiya, pero sa oras ng kanilang pangangailangan, saan sila kakapit? Ang gobyerno kailangan responsive, and palagay ko ay panahon na para mabigyan sila ng atensyon,” Gatchalian said.

The DSWD stressed that the department has yet to spend a single centavo of the AKAP program as they are still crafting its guidelines.

He also gave assurance that the guidelines will adhere strictly to the special provision of the law, which is to protect minimum wage earners.

(el Amigo/MNM)

Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Egypt

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has disbursed a total of P5.4 million in aid to support the repatriation efforts for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other overseas Filipinos (OFs) affected by the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

Since the repatriation commenced on October 18, a total of 272 OFWs and OFs from Israel, Lebanon, West Bank, and Palestine have been assisted.

As of November 14, 14 batches of repatriates have returned to the Philippines.

The assistance provided by DSWD includes both cash and food aid. Each repatriate received PHP10,000 in cash aid and an additional PHP10,000 in food assistance through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.

The DSWD, in collaboration with other government agencies, is committed to a whole-of-government approach in assisting repatriates during these challenging times.

Additionally, the DSWD has implemented the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program to support families affected by Super Typhoon Egay in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). As of now, 84.6 percent of the 6,150 target beneficiaries in CAR have received ECT, totaling PHP6,000 per family.

The ECT program aims to bridge the gap between immediate disaster relief, humanitarian response, and early recovery support by providing unconditional cash assistance to families affected by disasters.

The DSWD is set to provide over PHP1.1 billion in ECT assistance to families affected by Super Typhoon “Egay” in CAR, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Mimaropa.

The DSWD, as the vice-chair for the Disaster Response and Early Recovery Pillar of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), assures the public of the integrity of the ECT process to ensure efficient and effective service delivery to disaster-stricken families.

(ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

SAYING THAT GIVING ALMS to beggars will only encourage them to stay on the streets, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has urged the public not to give alms, in cash or kind even this Christmas season.

DSWD pointed out that it has already programs for street dwellers such as Oplan Abot, which provides temporary shelter, educational plan or enrolment to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“We discourage them po sa alms giving, sa paglilimos kasi encourage lang natin ating mga kababayan na manatili sa kalsada,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said in the “24 Oras” report by Maki Pulido.

It has long been suspected that some street beggars could be members of syndicates preying on the gullible individuals.

To recall, during the strongman rule of former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr., there was Presidential Decree 1563 that penalizes persons caught giving alms with fines and jail time of up to four years.

(ai/mnm)

In cooperation with the office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a cash assistance and rice Distribution (CARD) program took place on Saturday (11 November 2023) in Barangay 129, Caloocan City.

Caloocan City’s 2nd District Representative Mitch Cajayon-Uy said around 2,500 beneficiaries each received P2,000 cash assistance from DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.

(Benjie Cuaresma/ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

DESPITE THE CONSTITUTIONAL BAN ON POLITICAL DYNASTIES, another political dynasty is shaping up if and when Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian runs for senator in 2025 and wins as the latest survey might encourage him to do so.

According to a survey by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD), Gatchalian earned a high public approval rating of 84% along with a trust rating of 88%.

If Rex runs for senator in 2025 and wins, he will then be joining his brother Win Gatchalian and join in the league of other senator siblings like Sens. Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada and JV Ejercito, and mother-and-son Cynthia and Mark Villar.

“Thank you for recognizing Team DSWD’s contributions and efforts to improve and innovate the delivery of social protection services and programs to the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable Filipinos,” Gatchalian said in his Facebook post.

This possibility of Rex Gatchalian running for senator in 2025 loomed following a recent survey that showed that the social welfare chief is the second top-performing Cabinet member of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Gatchalian was second to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos who is also believed to be eyeing a Senate seat.

With this development, Gatchalian expressed gratitude for the team DSWD’s public approval and trust, citing efforts to deliver services to the poor and marginalized.

(ai/mnm)

By Liezelle Soriano

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has warned the public not to be deceived by the promises of the politicians that they will be included in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The agency said that the 4Ps program cannot be used for political gains and similar activities especially since the Barangay and Sangguiang Kabataan elections are just around the corner.

The warning was made ahead of the BSK poll exercise, which is slated on Monday, October 30, 2023, and because according to reports, some political candidates are making false campaign promises about the voters’ inclusion in the 4Ps program of the DSWD.

“Sa atin pong mga kababayan, kahit sino pong mangako sa inyo na kayo’y mapapasama sa 4Ps program, malamang hindi ho magkatotoo ‘yan,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said.

“DSWD data lang po ang tatanungin. DSWD personnel din lang po ang makakapag-assess po sa inyo – hindi po kahit sinong kandidato,” he added.

4Ps is a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and education of members’ children aged 0-18.

(ai/mnm)