The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10 implements the Supplementary Feeding Program in the whole of Northern Mindanao.

The feeding program, now on its 10th year of implementation, aims to improve the nutritional status of children enrolled in child development centers and those under the supervised neighborhood play.

Sheryl Ave, Supplementary Feeding Program focal person, disclosed that a total of 48 local government units (LGU’s) started the implementation on August 17, 2020, the first batch of partner LGUs to distribute ingredients for cooking meals for the target children.

Another six LGU’s belonging to the second batch of implementers started to feed the children on October 27, Tuesday.

The other 38 LGU’s have yet to start their implementation.

The LGU will implement the feeding program for 120 days.

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, daycare centers will feed the children twice a day. Thus, the cycle is shortened to 60 days.

Also, the development centers will divide the supply among the children since learners are studying at home because of the pandemic.

As it is, the parents or guardians will cook the rice cereal and viand in the designated community kitchen in their barangay for the learners to improve their nutritional status. Distributed goods include cooking oil, meat, eggs, fish, among others.

DSWD Field Office 10, through the supplier, will regularly deliver the goods to the LGU’s good for 12 feeding days.

During the delivery, suppliers and inspectors observe all health protocols.

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In an effort to bring the government closer to the people and to ensure unhampered public service despite the pandemic, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) emphasized that, together with its Field Offices, it will continue to effectively address the concerns of the public through  its 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center.

8888 is a 24/7 public service hotline to allow the citizens to report poor frontline service delivery and corrupt practices in all government agencies.

DSWD disclosed that from March to September 2020, the Department processed 12,905 tickets for various requests, inquiries, and complaints from the public.

Of this number, 7,600 tickets were all related to the emergency cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) which ranked as the top concern every month during the period. Among the issues raised were inclusion and exclusion in the SAP, complaints about irregularities in the local government units, and inquiries regarding the release of the subsidy for waitlisted beneficiaries.

Despite the pandemic, the Center maintained a hundred percent referral rate from March up to the succeeding months.

Apart from continuously managing the 8888 hotline, the Citizens’ Complaint Center also responds to phone calls and attends to walk-in clients.

DSWD encouraged the public to continue to use the 8888 hotline, as well as its other grievance platforms, to ensure prompt resolutions to public grievances and to provide feedback on the actions taken on citizens’ concerns. ###

The National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF), chaired by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), thanked the Office of the President for issuing Memorandum Circular No. 80 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, which suspended work in government offices in the Executive Branch by 3:30 PM onwards on September 28, to allow government employees to celebrate the Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day. 

The Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day is a yearly celebration held every fourth Monday of September pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 326, series of 2012.

The celebration, which is held in conjunction with the annual celebration of the National Family Week, emphasizes the importance of having a common family meal to encourage parents to stay connected with their children and understand the challenges they face.

According to Proclamation No. 326, one of the meaningful traditions of Filipinos is the common family meal where all family members are present to signify their unity and thanksgiving. 

A common family meal also provides an opportunity to enhance family communication and serves a venue where members can express affirmation of each other and share a positive experience of joy and love.

Aside from spending common family mealtime, DSWD also encouraged families to use this special day as a chance to reflect on the importance of their families in their lives, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and on how they can further strengthen their bond so that they withstand the many unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic. ###

Leading this year’s 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) GO-NGO Forum on September 21, the Philippines, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), enjoined delegates and partners in strengthening families as basic units providing essential support to all citizens.

Following the theme, “Strengthening Family Resilience and Solidarity: Braving the Adversity and Adapting to the New Normal,” the 15th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum highlighted the important roles of families as well as recommendations on how the ASEAN can support them to become resilient and active partners in nation and regional community building. The ASEAN GO-NGO Forum is part of the three-day virtual meeting of the 16^th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) and Related Meetings hosted by the Philippines this year.

In her opening remarks, PH SOMSWD Leader and DSWD Assistant Secretary Joseline Niwane underscored the importance of family resilience amidst the current pandemic.

“With the adverse effects brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic, our children, women, and elders, among other vulnerable groups of our society in the region, bear the brunt of this crisis,” she said.

Leading this year’s 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) GO-NGO Forum on September 21, the Philippines, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), enjoined delegates and partners in strengthening families as basic units providing essential support to all citizens.

Following the theme, “Strengthening Family Resilience and Solidarity: Braving the Adversity and Adapting to the New Normal,” the 15th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum highlighted the important roles of families as well as recommendations on how the ASEAN can support them to become resilient and active partners in nation and regional community building. The ASEAN GO-NGO Forum is part of the three-day virtual meeting of the 16^th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) and Related Meetings hosted by the Philippines this year.

In her opening remarks, PH SOMSWD Leader and DSWD Assistant Secretary Joseline Niwane underscored the importance of family resilience amidst the current pandemic.

“With the adverse effects brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic, our children, women, and elders, among other vulnerable groups of our society in the region, bear the brunt of this crisis,” she said.

Assistant Secretary Niwane also added that it is “of significance that the conditions of the family are looked into – especially with how they play a central role on the coping mechanisms of our people. As deeply rooted in our culture and traditions to sustain our close family ties, the sudden shift in our lifestyles may have contributed to changes in the present family dynamics, affecting individuals’ well-being, as further amplified by the fear and anxiety due to today’s situation,”.

Meanwhile, Alternate Chair of the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF) and DSWD Undersecretary Luzviminda Ilagan shared the Philippine experiences particularly on good practices and mechanisms for the promotion and protection of Filipino families. Undersecretary Ilagan also shared areas for cooperation in the national and regional levels which can reinforce policies and programs to keep families strong and resilient.

Among the areas for cooperation that she mentioned were providing new knowledge and skills training for social workers and development workers working with families; mapping and implementing programs and services  to protect families, improve their well-being, and promote their rights collectively and individually; opening avenues for  exchange of information and  good practices; and allocating budgetary items  for the implementation of programs and services for the family, nationally or locally.

Through the forum, DSWD hopes that more opportunities for sustained partnerships between public and private sectors in the ASEAN region will transpire, especially in the formulation of more responsive, more inclusive, and sustainable social protection systems that will safeguard all families, particularly the poor and vulnerable sectors of society. Anchored on cohesiveness, responsiveness and cooperation, it is with anticipation that recommendations from the forum will be realized and put into positive actions.  ###

Binigyan ng tulong ang 68 na mga maliliit na negosyante sa White Island, Camiguin Province ng DSWD Field Office 10 ngayong araw Oktubre 1, 2020 para makabangon sila dahil sa krisis na dulot ng COVID-19 na pandemya.

Ang industriya ng turismo ay naapektohan dahil sa pandemya.

Tumanggap ng tulong pinansiyal at family food packs ang 68 na negosyante. Mismong si DSWD Assistant Secretary Jade Jamolod ng Department of Social Welfare and Development ang naghatid ng tulong sa mga apektadong negosyante sa Yumbing, Mambajao, Camiguin.

Ang mga nakatanggap na noon ng cash assistance sa ilalim ng SAP ay tumanggap ng P3,000 samantalang P5,000 naman sa hindi nakatanggap ng SAP. Tuloy pa rin ang pagbibigay ng tulong ng DSWD sa mga komunidad sa panahon ng pandemya.Xxxcpt

As part of its continued advocacy to strengthen the Filipino family, the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF), chaired by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), is enjoining the public to celebrate the 28th National Family Week on September 21-27, 2020 with the theme “Tungo sa Maginhawa, Matatag at Panatag na Pamilyang Pilipino.”

The National Family Week is a yearly celebration held every fourth week of September pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 60 issued on September 28, 1992.

For this year’s celebration, the NCFF adopted the sub-theme, “Mapagkalingang Pagtugon at Proteksyon sa Bawat Pamilyang Pilipino Mula sa Mga Suliranin sa Gitna ng Pandemyang COVID-19,” which emphasizes the importance of providing Filipino families with compassionate response on economic shocks and protection from violence in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sub-theme is also an appeal to all concerned agencies and organizations to be relentless in the work of strengthening and promoting the unity, solidarity, and stability of the Filipino family, especially that the family sector faces many social problems amid this crisis, including unplanned pregnancies, loss of jobs and livelihood, mental-health problems, and gender-based violence, and others.

The National Family Week celebration will officially start on September 21 with a nationwide ringing of bells dubbed as “Ring a Family Bell” to be simultaneously done at 9:00 AM in all government agencies as a symbol of nationwide awareness and commitment to commemorate the solidarity and unity of the Filipino Family. A virtual kick-off will also be aired via DSWD’s Facebook page on the same day.

In support of the Family Week, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), an active member of the NCFF, will hold an online Interfaith Family Forum on September 23 which will tackle different topics concerning the family.  

Meanwhile, the City of Manila, the host LGU for the 28th National Family Week, will conduct a webinar in partnership with Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) on September 24 focusing on strengthening family relationships through responsible parenting and positive discipline.

On September 26, the Commission on Population, another active member of the NCFF, will host a talk show which will tackle the myths and misconceptions on family planning to help address the issue of unplanned pregnancies during the quarantine period.

Apart from these activities, the NCFF will also utilize various online platforms to promote the celebration and to advocate for stronger and protected Filipino families through the #ProtekadongPamilyaSaCOVID-19 social media campaign.

Using the hashtag, NCFF members will be posting ways on how families can keep their families safe, protected, and intact amid the pandemic; and how they are helping families nationwide cope with the impacts of the crisis.

Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day

The NCFF is also encouraging Filipino families to observe the Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day, a yearly celebration held every fourth Monday of September pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 326, series of 2012.

Held in conjunction with the annual celebration of the Family Week, the Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day emphasizes the importance of having a common family meal to encourage parents to stay connected with their children and understand the challenges they face.

A common family meal also provides an opportunity to enhance family communication and serves a venue where members can express affirmation of each other and share a positive experience of joy and love.

As the lead agency in social protection and as chair of the NCFF, DSWD recognizes the importance of strengthening and promoting family unity and stability to build a solid and united Filipino society.

The Department, together with all the members of the NCFF, will continue to work together to uphold the values of Filipino families and to support and empower them to withstand the many issues and challenges they face, especially in the midst of the pandemic, so that they can come out of the crisis as a stronger unit. ###

Bubong, Lanao del Sur – Noronisa Mama cuddles her eight-month old baby for checking by local health officials, who visited her house in this second class municipality in Lanao del Sur.

It was a house-to-house visit of the team from Bangsamoro Umpungan sa Nutrisyon (BangUn) Project in coordination with the barangay and the town’s health officials.

Noronisa’s daughter, Janima Monaim, looks moderately thin in her Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), a manifestation that the child is malnourished.

MUAC is the circumference of the left upper arm, measured at the mid-point between the tip of the shoulder and the tip of the elbow (olecranon process and the acromion). It is used for the assessment of nutritional status.

Also, it is a good predictor of mortality and in many studies.

Norosa regularly breastfeed Janima.

Similar situations like Janima’s are reportedly prevalent among children in this municipality of Lanao del Sur, the very reason why BangUn Project was conceptualized during the 5th Cabinet Meeting in August 2016. 

The DSWD Field Office 10 workers conducts home visits to families with undernourished children daily.

Despite the province of Lanao del Sur belongs to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao; DSWD Field Office 10 manages the implementation of BangUn Project in this town.

The project aims to reduce the vulnerabilities of the children from hunger and malnutrition in this town.

The feeding program provides two hot meals for 180 feeding days. The target beneficiaries are 5,000 children 0-12 years old and pregnant/lactating women (PLW).

This second week of September, the BangUn staff start the identification of the baseline nutrition assessment of each child aged four years and below. They also assess the PLW using the MUAC Tape. Meanwhile, the staff measure the height and weight of the children aged 5-12 years old.

Mayor Usoph B. Munder of this municipality is happy to see the target families doing its share by following the advice of the nutritionist and dietitians.

Mayor Munder hopes the project will improve the nutritional status of malnourished children here.

“We fully support this project for the benefit of our children,” he said.

The feeding will start in the second week of October.

In consideration to the existing health protocols such as social distancing and mass gathering, the staff decide to prepare the food in a community kitchen and pack the meal for house-to-house distribution.

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Members of the technical working group for Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) of the DSWD Field Office 10 undergo workshop on reporting data for monitoring and evaluation.

Candido Balaba Jr. of the National Economic Development 10 introduces the web-based geospatial technology in generating reports coming from the various regional project monitoring and evaluation reports.

The IPA-LAMDAG system aims to reduce processing time in generating reports and strengthen/tighten the region’s development planning, investment programming, and project monitoring linkage. IPA-LAMDAG stands for Innovative Platform for Programs/Projects/Activities’ (PPAs) Location Assessment, Monitoring, and Budgeting for Development Planning and Governance (IPA-LAMDAG).

With this system, the technical working group will utilize the system for fast and efficient reporting. Xxxobi