By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured the measures and preparedness of their personnel against any calamity in the country.
DSWD Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe said that the department continues to work to provide the necessary intervention to families that may be affected by calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes, fires, and others.
Aside from the local government units (LGUs), the DSWD also collaborates with international partners and the private sector that are constantly extending assistance to Filipinos in crises.
Cajipe emphasized their continuous effort to establish innovative solutions to better protect the Filipino people.
The DSWD is developing an innovative tool particularly the Advanced Data Gathering for Assistance Preparedness for Protection (AGAPP).
AGAPP is an innovative tool designed to streamline the collection of data and information on disaster incidents.
“It is important in our planning to be very specific and address the needs. The only way we would know that is to be able to get accurate data, and of course, disaggregated data as well,” Cajipe previously said.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Just like the motto of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is always “laging handa” during disasters and other calamities.
This was assured to the public by DSWD officials, saying the agency is prepared for the upcoming La Niña phenomenon during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on June 20 at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response Leo L. Quintilla, who is concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), said the DSWD already had a meeting with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to prepare for the possible scenarios during the La Niña season.
Quintilla said the DSWD meeting with PAGASA last May was upon the instruction of Secretary Rex Gatchalian who wanted the Department to be always prepared whenever there are impending calamities like the La Niña.
“(Month of) May pa lang ay nagpatawag na si Secretary ng preparedness meeting…kasama namin ang PAGASA to give us a picture of what it will look like with the anticipation of the forecast of La Niña. So dito po pinag-aralan na natin kung ano ang dapat gawin ng DSWD,” Quintilla told reporters at the media forum.
He explained that the DSWD will be implementing its Buong Bansa Handa disaster preparedness program to ensure the sufficiency of supplies during the La Niña season.
“Buong Bansa Handa is a program and, at the same time, it is a strategy to ensure na yung ating supplies are ready. And right now, we are studying our eastern seaboard kung saan palaging tinatamaan ng bagyo,” Quintilla pointed out.
The Buong Bansa Handa will tap two supply chains to deliver the basic food and non-food requirements of disaster victims.
The first supply chain will feature an expanded network of warehouse facilities of local government units (LGUs) provincial governments, and other national government agencies, while the other one will be through partnerships with the private sector through framework agreements or supply agreements.
At present, the DSWD maintains some 1.5 million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) ready to be augmented to selected LGUs where the Department has ongoing relief prepositioning agreement, especially those located in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA).
Aside from prepositioning, SAS Quintilla assured the public that the agency is also consistently producing FFPs in its major production hubs.
“We are doing our best to maximize our resources for stockpiling. What is important is we have available resources. We have rice, we have raw materials, and we have supplies to ensure that production is continuous because we do not know what will happen. If we need to double, we are going to do that to ensure that we are ready for any disaster event in the second quarter of 2024,” SAS Quintilla explained.
In a related topic, DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose S. Cajipe reported the latest data on the agency’s disaster response operations for the families affected by Typhoon Aghon and the recent Mt. Kanlaon eruption in Negros Occidental.
As of press time, the DSWD has already provided humanitarian assistance worth more than Php28.8 million to families affected by Typhoon Aghon in the Ilocos Region, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
The Department also provided over Php26 million worth of assistance to displaced families in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental who were affected by the Mt. Kanlaon eruption.
“Rest assured that the Disaster Response Management Group of the DSWD, under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, ay patuloy po ang pag-paplano at paghahanda para po sa mga kalamidad na maaaring harapin ng ating bansa. Ang paghahanda po ng DSWD ay katuwang ang iba’t ibang ahensya ng ating pamahalaan, the local government units, international partners, and the private sector,” Cajipe said.
The Thursday Media Forum is organized by the DSWD Strategic Communications Group and hosted by Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Communications Raymond Robert Burgos and Agency Operations Service (AOS) Director Clarissa Lara Duran, who is also the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Office of the Asst. Secretary for Strategic Communications.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — After receiving reports about a viral post that claims to provide official dates as well as the names of the supposed recipients of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) grants, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday (19 June 2024) warned all 4Ps beneficiaries against a misleading Facebook post.
DSWD Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao pointed out that the DSWD, in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, ensures that beneficiary details are never posted publicly.
“The Department wishes to clarify that this information did not come from any of its official channels and may cause confusion among 4Ps beneficiaries,” said Dumlao who is also the DSWD spokesperson.
“All official announcements, including payout schedules for the 4Ps program, are also disseminated through the official page of 4Ps: (https://www.facebook.com/DSWDPantawidPamilya),” she stressed.
Dumlao explained that the City/Municipal Links (C/MLs), assisted by the Parent Leaders (PLs), directly provide the payout schedules to 4Ps the beneficiaries in their respective areas.
She added that the Landbank of the Philippines is also authorized to announce the payroll schedules through its official Facebook page once the cash grants have already been credited to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
“We understand the critical role the 4Ps grants in supporting our beneficiaries. We urge everyone to be vigilant against any disinformation or misinformation and to always check our official social media platforms for updates,” Dumlao said.
The DSWD spokesperson reiterated that the Department is urging all 4Ps beneficiaries to rely solely on official sources for accurate information and to avoid confusion.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday (12 June 2024) welcomed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s approval of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program’s (4Ps) expanded cash grant for pregnant and lactating women.
During a Sectoral Meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday (June 11), President Marcos Jr. approved the DSWD’s proposal to include a First 1000 day-grant for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries who are pregnant, nursing, or those with two-year old children.
“Okay. Yes. Let’s do that. On the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, bring the mother, the family into the system. That’s really good,” the President said during the Sectoral Meeting that included the DSWD, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Health (DOH), and other concerned agencies.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who attended the Sectoral Meeting with Undersecretary for National Household Targeting System and 4Ps Vilma Cabrera and Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs Fatima Aliah Dimaporo, welcomed the President’s approval on the expanded cash grant for the 4Ps program.
“The President gave us instructions on how we can improve the lot of our pregnant and lactating mothers, especially our poorer mothers,” Gatchalian said.
The DSWD chief said the additional grant for the 4Ps program will serve as an incentive for the target beneficiaries to avail of health services and will address malnutrition and stunting in the country.
“This will serve as an incentive for them to have this what we call health-seeking behavior which means they will be motivated to go to the health center, register, avail of pre-and post-natal care, and post-partum treatment, including immunization for their 0 to 2-year old children,” Gatchalian said.
He also explained that this proposed grant would only be for 4Ps subset beneficiaries who are pregnant, nursing, or those with 0 to 2-year old children and is just temporary until such time that they have passed through the stage.
The DSWD serves as the chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger (IATF-ZH) which has been directed by the President to prioritize the implementation and monitoring of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programs to address food insecurity in the country.
During a Sectoral Meeting last February 20, President Marcos instructed the DSWD to work with concerned agencies, particularly with the NEDA and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), to sharpen the DSWD proposal.
Under the DSWD’s 4Ps program, a household-beneficiary receives cash aid on the condition that their children attend school and are brought to health centers for their monthly medical check-up.
Household beneficiaries of 4Ps with elementary students receive P300 per child per month for 10 months; P500 per child per month for 10 months for junior high school; and P700 per child per month for 10 months for senior high school.
Households also get P750 per month for 12 months provided that their children aged two to 14 years old undergo a growth development and monitoring program and deworming. Families are also required to attend the monthly family development sessions (FDS).
Meanwhile, the Malusog at Matalinong Bata Coalition (MMB Coalition), an alliance of advocacy groups, academics, and nutrition advocates committed to fighting stunting in the Philippines through policy reforms, has expressed its support to the DSWD proposal.
The MMB Coalition described stunting as a critical condition where children suffer from restricted growth and cognitive development due to malnutrition.
It said more profound impact is on cerebral development, with 80% of brain growth occurring by the age of two and 90% by the age of five.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Cagayan Valley Region on Monday (June 10) to distribute some P190 million aid and presidential assistance to select farmers, fisherfolk, and their families affected by the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
“Sa araw na ito, maghahandog kami ng karagdagang tulong sa ating mga magsasaka, mangingisda, at sa kanilang mga pamilya na kasama natin dito ngayon. Nilalayon namin na maibsan ang hirap na inyong nararanasan dahil sa El Niño nang sa gayon ay makabangon at muling makabalik ang kasaganahan ng inyong kabuhayan,” Marcos Jr. said in his message to the beneficiaries at the Ilagan City Community Center in the City of Ilagan, Isabela province.
The Chief Executive turned over farm and fishing machinery, equipment, and toolkits to the beneficiaries affected by the dry spell.
Marcos Jr. also mentioned that the DSWD has allotted disaster response funds as augmentation support to El Niño-affected families and individuals in the Cagayan Valley (Region 2) which is composed of the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.
“Kung susumahin, aabot sa mahigit isang daan at siyamnapu’t anim na milyong piso ang hinanda ng DSWD bilang standby funds at stockpile para sa Region 2,” the President said.
A total of P5 million standby funds is allocated to the region with 80,907 boxes of prepositioned family food packs (FFPs) and more than P95.8 million worth of other food and non-food items.
The agency also extended P10,000 in financial assistance to 5,000 select beneficiaries under the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).
The recently-launched AKAP program provides social assistance to individuals who may not have access to the regular forms of assistance since they do not belong to the poorest population.
To qualify as a beneficiary under AKAP, the individual must belong to the low-income category, such as those whose income does not exceed the statutory minimum wage.
Top officials of the national and local governments also attended the activity.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Proving that poverty is not a hindrance to success, more than 32,000 former monitored children of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) have completed their college education.
Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act No. 11310, the 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition, and education.
“We are delighted that a total of 32,556 former monitored children under our flagship poverty alleviation program are now diploma holders. Through 4Ps, we aim to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by investing in human capital,” Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao said.
She added that the program has recorded exemplary students, with some 82 formerly monitored children graduating magna cum laude, 1,135 cum laude, and 132 children received special distinctions.
“These figures are a testament that the 4Ps and the funds of the government are being utilized properly. They are solid indications that DSWD’s 4Ps is a valuable tool in effectively investing in human capital,” noted Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson.
She said more than 6,000 graduates also passed their respective board examinations, making them licensed teachers, engineers, architects, and midwives.
“Just recently, another former 4Ps monitored child secured the top spot in the March 2024 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) at the elementary level. Notably, from 2018 to the present, a total of 49 former 4Ps monitored children got the highest scores in various board examinations,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Over the past 20 years, the community-driven development program advocated by the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has benefited thousands of communities across the country, and it’s time to institutionalize the program.
Through KALAHI-CIDSS, the DSWD has provided basic social services to more than 22 million poor, vulnerable, marginalized, and geographically isolated households, through 83,155 subprojects. These projects include access roads, improved water systems, medical supplies, tools and equipment, barangay health stations, and Child Development Centers.
“To our lawmakers, and not just to our legislators but also to our community volunteers and the unsung heroes of KALAHI-CIDSS, the program has existed for twenty years. Join us in standing up to continue the program,” appealed KALAHI-CIDSS National Program Manager (NPM) Atty. Bernadette Mapue-Joaquin during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
It was revealed that the initial version of the Community-Driven Development (CDD) bill was filed during the 18th Congress in September 2019.
Three senators also submitted their respective CDD bill versions during the 19th Congress in 2022 and 2023.
“The three versions are scheduled for the first public hearing at the Committee level. They advocate for the institutionalization and operationalization of the CDD approach; provision of capacity building and technical assistance to local government units, civil society organizations, and communities through the DSWD Academy; and creation of an inter-agency advisory council on CDD,” noted NPM Mapue-Joaquin.
Among DSWD’s flagship programs, only the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was institutionalized in 2019 through Republic Act No. 11310.
The Food Stamp Program, one of the innovative programs of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, is currently in the process of being institutionalized after Malacañang issued Executive Order (EO) No. 44, establishing the “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program” as a flagship program of the national government.
On May 14, the House Committee on Social Services approved the unnumbered substitute bill to House Bills No. 8532, 8899, 10010, and 10202, all seeking to strengthen the government’s anti-involuntary hunger program.
Mapue-Joaquin emphasized that institutionalizing CDD will create a continuous enabling policy that ensures maximum participation and empowerment of the communities.
“We have helped many communities, but many more still need assistance through our KALAHI-CIDSS program. Please help us continue and legislate the program. Help us continue providing aid to the neediest communities,” stressed Mapue-Joaquin.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Committed to helping achieve peace and progress in line with the vision of Bagong Pilipinas, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) concluded the fifth phase of its benchmarking study and field research in Kabankalan City, as part of the agency’s continued efforts at enhancing the peace and development programs and services.
“The field visit in Kabankalan City is part of the ongoing initiatives of the DSWD to improve the Case Management (CM) Guide in handling cases of former rebels, as well as to develop a deradicalization module focusing on the psychosocial aspects,” DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC) Alan Tanjusay said on Wednesday (29 May 2024).
Spearheaded by the Office of the ISPSC and in collaboration with DSWD Field Office-6 (Western Visayas), the May 23 field visit focused on former members of the Rebolusyonaryo Partido Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade-Tabara Paduano Group (RPM-P/RPA/ABB-TPG).
“This phase of the study involved comprehensive focus group discussions (FGDs) with former rebels which will provide vital insights for the improvement of our Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PD-BBM) Program,” Tanjusay emphasized.
The DSWD official also pointed out that the enhancement of the CM Guide is aligned with the directive of Secretary Rex Gatchalian to create effective psychosocial interventions for former rebels.
“These interventions aim to support the full transformation of individuals, beyond short-term cash and material assistance, ensuring their successful reintegration into the community and encouraging them to become productive and active participants in community development,” Tanjusay explained.
As part of the field visit, 12 former rebels received family food packs from the DSWD Western Visayas regional office.
Before the Kabankalan City leg, the DSWD’s Office of the Undersecretary for ISPSC also conducted field studies in Sulu, Mountain Province, Sorsogon, and Marawi City.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — As typhoon Aghon unleashed its fury after months of scorching heat, a senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) cited the agency’s collaboration with local government units (LGUs) as a vital component in ensuring the efficient delivery of assistance to affected families.
DSWD Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao told Radyo Pilipinas on Monday (27 May 2024) that the agency tapped the assistance of pre-identified LGUs to preposition relief items such as family food packs (FFPs) in their warehouses.
“The DSWD has already prepositioned family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items in strategic parts of the country. In fact, we entered into relief prepositioning agreements with some local government units para nga po magamit natin yung kanilang mga warehouses nang sa gayon ay yung mga family food packs ay mailagay natin doon sa kanilang lugar and ready na ma-access anytime po na kakailanganin,” Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said during the interview.
As of 6 a.m. Monday, Dumlao said the DSWD has already provided more than Php1.3 million worth of humanitarian assistance to the provinces of Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon.
The DSWD Field Offices in typhoon-hit areas continue to coordinate with the LGUs to determine other interventions that may be provided to internally displaced individuals, the agency spokesperson said.
The DSWD also maintains more than Php3 billion worth of standby and stockpile funds which can be tapped for disaster response operations, including some 1,616,551 boxes of FFPs worth Php1.3 billion. These FFPs have been prepositioned in strategic locations around the country.
Dumlao also reminded affected citizens to follow the orders of authorities for the orderly distribution of assistance in their respective areas.
“Tayo po ay makipag-ugnayan sa ating mga lokal na pamahalaan, sa ating mga local social welfare and development officers para matiyak yung maayos na pamamahagi ng tulong,” the DRMG asst. secretary said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — To improve their knowledge, skills, and attitudes for providing effective and compassionate care to children, 38 house parents from various settings and residential care facilities participated in a training program.
These facilities are managed and operated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), local government units (LGUs), and non-government organizations (NGOs).
The training emphasized the latest trends and practices in child care, especially for children in need of special protection (CNSPs).
The DSWD, through the DSWD Academy, rolled out the first batch of training for house parents of residential care facilities from May 19 to 25 at the UP-University Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City.
“This training was conceptualized to improve and standardize the competencies of the house parents as the primary caregivers of the disadvantaged and vulnerable children in the residential care facilities whose roles are crucial to their lives, thus, needed to be capacitated to provide rights-based and child-focused parenting service,” Undersecretary for Standards and Capacity Building Group (SCBG) Denise FB Bernos-Bragas, MD, said in her opening message.
In her closing message, Assistant Secretary for SCBG Janet Armas emphasized the houseparents’ pivotal role in preparing CNSPs for reintegration into their families, placement in foster and adoptive families, and independent living.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa mga house parents. ‘Yong mga practices and strategies, puwede ituro. Pero ‘yong pagmamahal na binibigay ninyo sa mga anak natin sa residential care facilities, hindi ito naituturo. Sa inyo galing iyan. Kaya mahalaga ang inyong papel,” Armas pointed out.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Describing the illegal selling of babies as a “cruel form of child exploitation,” Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has commended the National Authority on Child Care (NACC) and the Women and Children Protection Center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for rescuing an eight-day old baby boy from being sold for P90,000.
The DSWD chief lamented that the social media has become an unwitting tool for the illegal selling of innocent children.
“Children should not be treated as commodities,” Gatchalian fumed during a press conference Monday (20 May 2024) at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
Police Col. Renato C. Mercado of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) disclosed that the baby’s mother, Ma. Chariza Rivera Dizon, 29, single, a resident of Tondo, Manila would have wanted to sell her newborn baby boy for only P50,000.
But her “broker” Arjay Malabanan , 37, married, a resident of Bacoor, Cavite and an employee of the Dasmariñas City local government unit (LGU) increased the price to P90,000.
The entrapment and rescue operation carried out by the PNP-WCPC against two suspects at Immaculate Conception Church in Dasmariñas City, Cavite last May 15 was based on a violation of Republic Act 9208 as amended, particularly the provision against child selling.
For her part, DSWD Undersecretary and NACC executive director Janella Estrada said that it’s time that illegal adoption must be stopped.
“With the arrest of the syndicate members, we expect that the illegal selling of babies and children using the social media will be stopped,” Gatchalian said.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Acknowledging social workers and social welfare assistants who serve as front liners, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has disclosed that the agency currently gears toward empowering them by setting standards and providing capacity-building activities.
With this in mind, Gatchalian honored the significant role of social workers in the delivery of social protection packages in the country during the 27th National Social Welfare and Development Forum and General Assembly held on Wednesday (15 May 2024) at the Iloilo Convention Center in Mandurriao District.
“If there is a most noble profession, I believe that it is always the registered social workers,” Gatchalian told the more than 2,000 local social welfare and development officers (LSWDOs) and social workers from different local government units (LGUs) who attended the national assembly and forum.
He cited the COVID-19 situation to illustrate the vital role of social workers in ensuring the smooth delivery of social protection programs and services by the government.
“I saw it firsthand… I understand your pain and nauunawaan ko na kayo ang naging reason kung bakit naging matagumpay pa rin ang rollout ng social amelioration,” Gatchalian noted.
In his speech, Gatchalian introduced to the social workers the DSWD Academy as a training camp that provides training courses on social welfare and development, as well as community development.
“The DSWD Academy will run certificate programs. And every time you guys attend these certificate programs that will put the standards that [are] set forth by the Department, it counts towards your CPDs [Continuing Professional Development],” the DSWD chief said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Responding swiftly to the request of local government units (LGUs), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended more than P64 million worth of family food packs to some 367,809 families or 1,360,623 individuals in the region severely affected by El Niño.
This was announced on Tuesday (14 May 2024) by DSWD Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao who said the distribution went smoothly through the help of its Field Office-6 (Western Visayas).
“Through our FO 6, the province of Negros Occidental was provided with 37,367 boxes of family food packs (FFPs), followed by Antique with 33,054 boxes, Iloilo with 18,880, Aklan with 10,707, Capiz with 1,809, and Guimaras with 1,000 boxes,” Dumlao said.
Dumlao, who is also the agency’s spokesperson, said the DSWD is intensifying its efforts to swiftly dispatch FFPs in the region based on the request of local government units (LGUs).
“We have to double our efforts as the Department of Agriculture reported that Western Visayas is among the 12 most affected regions by the dry spell. To date, we have prepositioned P11.9 million worth of FFPs in Region 6,” she pointed out.
The DSWD Western Visayas regional office currently maintains more than P96.7 million worth of stockpiles of relief supplies and standby funds ready to be used for disaster operations.
It was learned that the Disaster Response Management Division of FO-6 continues to coordinate with other LGUs for the immediate release and distribution of relief supplies in their localities.
As of press time, some 367,809 families or 1,360,623 individuals have been affected by the drought in Region 6.
(el amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision to combat poverty and hunger, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has underscored the significance of community participation in the procurement process system of the agency’s anti-hunger program.
He emphasized this during the workshop on adopting Negotiated Procurement-Community Participation (NP-CP) at the Garden Orchid Hotel and Resort in Zamboanga City on May 7-10.
“By directly engaging our community-based organizations such as farmers, fisherfolk, sustainable livelihood program associations, agrarian reform beneficiary organizations, irrigators’ associations, and cooperatives, we not only enhance the effectiveness of our procurement processes but also foster economic empowerment, social inclusion, and community resilience,” Gatchalian said in his video message to the participants of the workshop organized by the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) National Program Management Office.
“By Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 47 issued by the Office of the President to support the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty Program, we will be utilizing the Negotiated Procurement-Community Participation in our anti-hunger initiatives, specifically in the feeding program,” Gatchalian said.
It was learned that the same MC directed the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger (IATF-ZH) to adopt community participation procurement to encourage community-based organizations (CBOs) to participate in the EPAHP programs.
The recent workshop aimed to provide an overview and understanding of how the DSWD and its partners will utilize the NP-CP to implement anti-hunger programs.
During the event, the EPAHP Digital Mapping System, an online communications platform wherein all information about the EPAHP was shared with partners and other stakeholders, was also discussed during the workshop.
Through the system, CBOs are located and capacitated to become active suppliers to various programs of the government, especially in the feeding programs.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Anchored on one of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda which calls for the digitalization of government processes and operations, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has announced that it will soon accept applications for registration, licensing, and accreditation (RLA) of Social Welfare and Development Agencies (SWDAs) through an online platform.
This was disclosed by DSWD-Standards Bureau Asst. Director Cynthia Ilano on Thursday (9 May 2024) during the Media Forum at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
She said that through the Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System (HELPS), SWDAs can submit their requirements and monitor the status of their applications real time.
“Dito po, in the HELPS, ang gagawin nalang po natin ay lahat ng applications, magiging online po. Currently po, traditional ang ginagawa natin. Meaning, yung mga SWDAs natin, they need to go here pa or sa ating Field Offices to submit the requirements and we will process traditionally. Manual po. Para po makasabay tayo sa agenda ng ating mahal na Pangulo,” Ilano said.
She added that this innovation is also attuned to one of the seven priority programs and initiatives of the DSWD, the Paspas Serbisyo Program, which is one of the innovations under the administration of Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
The Paspas Serbisyo program aims to streamline, re-engineer, automate, digitalize, and centralize the current regulatory programs of the DSWD, Ilano explained.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — As inflation soars, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to work with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in trying to find the best index to use for the automatic adjustment of cash grants for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
This was disclosed on Thursday (9 May 2024) by DSWD Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao.
“I would like to reiterate what DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said that adjusting the cash grants of 4Ps beneficiaries is not just timely but that it also preserves the value of the grants,” Dumlao said.
On Tuesday (7 May 2024), DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC) Alan Tanjusay led the distribution of P20,000 Livelihood Settlement Grants (LSG) to each of the 19 former rebels from Nabunturan town in Davao de Oro province through the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
Aside from the livelihood grants, the former rebels (FRs) also received cash assistance worth Php3,000 through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
“Gamitin ninyo ng tama at maayos ang tulong ng ating mga kababayan upang mapalago ang inyong kabuhayan. Tulungan ninyo ang inyong mga sarili, ang ating gobyerno at ang lokal na pamahalaan,” Tanjusay told the beneficiaries.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Taking notice that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that he once led does not have enough facilities for the children in conflict with the law, House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo led four other lawmakers in filing a bill that seeks to establish a “House of Hope” in every province.
Tulfo noted that while several “Bahay Pag-asa” or House of Hope have been established nationwide, many remain overcrowded and fail to meet the standards set for the rehabilitation and reintegration of juvenile offenders.
“We have to address the problem immediately. We need a facility where juveniles can spend time in formal education or vocational training, values formation, household work, and sports activities as they serve their time, yet their loved ones can visit them during the weekends,” Cong Erwin said.
Filed on Tuesday (30 April 2024), House Bill No. 10276, or “An Act Establishing Additional Houses of Hope for Children in Conflict with the Law,” provides in addition to the currently existing House of Hope or “Bahay Pag-asa” as defined in Republic Act 10630 or the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act of 2006, that the DSWD, in coordination with the local government and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), shall establish, operate and maintain one additional “Bahay Pag-asa” in each province and highly urbanized city within their respective jurisdiction.
“For years, since the passage of the juvenile justice system, we have simply overlooked the growing problems of our youngsters that conflict with the law, We do not have the facility or facilities to house these youths,” Cong Erwin further observed.
HB 10276 was filed by Tulfo and his colleagues from the ACT-CIS party-list Reps. Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo, and Benguet Cong. Eric Yap and Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo.
“By providing sufficient and properly equipped youth detention centers, we can create a conducive environment for the rehabilitation and reintegration of juvenile offenders into society,” the hard-hitting journalist-turned-House leader concluded.
(el Amigo/MNM)
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)