The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10 lauded the signing into law of Republic Act 11310 institutionalizing the government’s flagship poverty reduction program known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

4Ps is an investment in human capital which seeks to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by focusing on education and health of the beneficiaries. It provides conditional cash transfer to poor households around the country. It is being implemented by DSWD, in partnership with other government agencies, such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among others.

DSWD Field Office 10 Regional Director Mari-Flor A. Dollaga-Libang emphasized that the signing of the law is the realization of the long time clamor of beneficiaries to make the program regular and permanent. 

It can be recalled that beneficiaries expressed their apprehensions that the benefits they are receiving from 4Ps might be stopped if the program will not be institutionalized.  It is also important to mention that they played a role in achieving this feat by lobbying for the institutionalization of the program.

For her part, Kenneth Haze Sanchez-Lustre, Regional Project Coordinator, disclosed that with RA 11310, the continuity and sustainability of the program can be assured. The law makes the program more robust by prioritizing farmers and fisher folks, strengthening livelihood and employment opportunities for beneficiaries, ensuring civil society organizations’ seats in the advising councils, and providing automatic coverage to PhilHealth.

Sanchez added that the law will further boost its goal of helping poor families achieve a better quality of life, thereby, contributing to the reduction of poverty incidence to 14 percent by 2022, as set by the present administration.

4Ps milestones

Since its inception in 2008, 4Ps has achieved several milestones in the areas of poverty reduction, health, and education.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), in its launch of the 2015 Official Poverty Statistics said, “One of the major factors in this improvement of poverty reduction is the increased budget in government’s social development programs, which significantly augmented the income of the poorest households… The regularity of the cash transfer sustained for three years for many CCT beneficiaries has accorded them some resiliency to weather certain shocks.  The program also induced more economic activity in the poor barangays given the presence of a cash economy.  These conditions may have also encouraged a number of them to diversify their livelihood sources.”

Moreover, in its 2017 Socio-Economic Report, NEDA stated that, “By far, the most comprehensive program to address […] vulnerability is the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).  This program needs to be sustained and even enhanced.”

Furthermore, the World Bank in its 2018 assessment of poverty in the Philippines (Making Growth Work for the Poor) reported that “transfers from government social programs [CCT] contributed about 25 percent of the [reduction in poverty incidence between 2006 and 2015.”]

Likewise, impact evaluations on the program done and completed in 2012 and 2014 showed that the program can break the intergenerational cycle of poverty. It aids those families who experience poverty trap of being poor because they have no decent jobs or undereducated and sickly.

Based on the two impact studies, the program has positive effects on education and health of children and pregnant women.

The studies showed that program beneficiaries have higher enrolment and attendance rates and lower drop-outs as compared to non-beneficiaries.

As regard to the impact on the beneficiaries health, have increased availment of basic health services and reduced severe stunting especially to children from 6 months to 3 years old.  The impact studies also showed that more pregnant women availed of maternal health services and an increased delivery in accredited birthing facilities, as compared to those who are not covered by the program.

Also, since 2015, the program has paved the way for almost 1 million children-beneficiaries to compete high school and more than 30,000 to graduate from college.

As of March 31, 2019, the program covers 41,552 barangays in all 145 cities and 1,483 municipalities in 80 provinces nationwide with 4.18 million active households. Northern Mindanao has a total of 260,663 beneficiaries as of this writing.

Barangay Palacpacan is an isolated barangay of the Municipality of San Fernando, Bukidnon. The road is difficult to access especially during the rainy season. Most of the residents of the barangay are people of the Matigsalug Tribe.

Like the other tribes in Bukidnon, most of the lumads are given less priority from the government projects that would uplift them for a better life.

This is because they have minimal support and most have no access to basic social services within their communities. With this, the only priority they have is to eat and survive.

Time passes and now some of the government agencies are now reaching and responding to address the needs in the community.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is among the various agencies of the government that help address the development of Indigenous Peoples, providing them basic social services. Among the myriad of programs is the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP). The Department is led by Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista Jr., a retired general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“The Filipino practice of mutual cooperation or bayanihan system is already embedded in the innermost of our being as Filipinos. This is more exemplified in the relentless contribution of our community volunteers in almost all facets of services to the poor and needy. Our staff and community volunteers on the ground have been our indispensable partners to the effective implementation of the Kalahi-CIDSS program,” the Secretary said.

Jeraline Arion is the Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee Chairperson (BSPMC) of Barangay Palacpacan, who strives to help the community by participating in government programs provide basic social services and empower the communities.

Jeraline is a Matigsalug and an active Parent Leader of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) leader.

Jeraline Arion says “Daghan kaayo kog natun-an sa programa sa DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, dili lamang ang katungod nga magpartisipar sa kalambuan sa Barangay kun dili apil usab nga gitagaan kaming mga Lumad og higayon nga magpartisipar sa programa bisag wala kami nakahuman og eskwela (I learned a lot from the Kalahi-CIDSS program, not just having the right to participate in Barangay development, also, we, the Lumad people are given the opportunity to participate in the program even if we have not finished any degree)”

For her, DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS is the first government program that gave opportunities to the Lumad people in handling the processes of the activities and giving them the power of decision making.

Through the Kalahi-CIDSS, Jeraline felt that she and her Lumad community now have the voice through the program.

The DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS is a program under the DSWD that empowers communities. The program uses Community-Driven Development (CDD) as an approach to let the communities identify problems, use available resources, and decide solutions to help the community in order to have access of good basic social services.

The communities are given the opportunities to voice out their needs in the barangay by participating in the local development processes with the help of the non-government organizations, Local Government Units, Area Coordinating Teams (ACT), Sub-Regional Project Management Team (SRMPT), and Regional Project Management Team (RPMT) to ensure that they become actively involved in the local processes.

“Dili sayon gayud nga mahimong leader sa Kalahi kay kaming mga Lumad wala na-anad magpadayag sa kadaghanan, kay kabalo kami nga wala kami grado nga ikapaghinambog pero tungod sa mga meetings ug trainings sa Kalahi ug pagdumala sa sub-project namo nga Farm-to-Market Road nadasig ako og taas na akong paglantaw sa akong kaugalingon karon kaysa sa una (It is not easy being a Kalahi leader, as we the Lumad people are not used to addressing a lot of people, because we know that we do not have educational degrees to boast for, but because of the meetings and trainings provided by Kalahi and the implementation of our Farm-to-Market Road sub-project – I am now enthusiastic and I now have high regard for myself as compared before)” says Jeraline.

This inspired her to continue schooling and graduate from the K-12 program of the Department of Education (DepEd) at the Halapitan National High School, San Fernando, Bukidnon.

Jeraline draws inspiration from the Kalahi-CIDSS community empowerment and gender equality perspective of the program “kasagara kaming mga babaeng lumad sige ra’g burosan sa among mga bana, ibilin ra sa balay ipagbantay og bata, usahay pasakitan pa, pero dili tanang Lumad, og mao ra gyud ang among mabuhat isip mga babae, pero dire sa Kalahi-CIDSS gitagaan kami og bili ug importansiya nga naay daghan nga mga butang nga kaya sa mga babae dili lang ang mga lalake (usually, we, the Lumad women, are just being impregnated by our husbands, left in the house to care for the children, and may be hurt at times – but not all Lumads, and that is all we could do as women, but here in Kalahi-CIDSS we are given value and importance, that there are a lot of things that women can do equally as men do)” Jeraline said.

The program requires women to participate every activity especially during Sub-Project construction of at least 30% of the labor force in order to promote gender equality and importance.

The implementation of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS in Barangay Palacpacan is not without challenges, “Pasalamat mi kay taas kaayo og pasensiya ang among facilitator sa pagtudlo sa amo unsaon paghimo sa mga minutes, pagprepare sa payroll ug bayronon sa mga materyales, pag-inventory sa materyales ug uban pang butang. Bisag lisod kami pasab-ton tungod kay walay nahuman sa pagskwela apan sa among mga kasaypanan wala kami nagmahay kay daghan kamig natun-an sa programa og nabati namo mga Lumad nga kabahin kami sa pagpalambo sa among barangay (we are thankful that our community empowerment facilitator is very patient in teaching us how to draft the minutes of the meetings, payroll preparation, payment and inventory for construction materials and other things. Even if we are very difficult to teach since do not have any formal education, we do not regret being in the Kalahi program. It is here that we Lumad women felt that we can contribute to the progress of our barangay)” Jeraline said.

The program is a good venue for learning different skills such as financial management, Environmental and Social Safeguards, Social Development, Construction Management, Basic Legal Documents, and other things that may help the Lumad community to educate themselves and to boost their confidence.

According to the community, the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS is a blessing to Palacpacan and San Fernando especially to the Lumad people. The Lumad community is given the opportunity through the support of the DSWD and local government units that help them grow and be part of nation building. Jeraline is hoping that the program will continue to help not only the Lumad people but also for those community or tribe who has been left behind that needs support to achieve a better and humane society.

Written by Nico B. Capistrano, Former DSWD-10 Kalahi-CIDSS Community Empowerment Facilitator

Story by Michie Lou B. Cruda, Community Empowerment Facilitator

Barangay Tambagan, Medina, Misamis Oriental is one of the communities facilitated by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS).

Tambagan means “to be advised” in the local dialect. Legend has it that in the days before the coming of the Spaniards when “datus” ruled the barangays, there was once an old wise man gifted with the power to give effective advices. He listened to people’s problems, personal and social disputes and were settled through his effective advices.

Tambagan is 2 kilometers away from North Poblacion or town proper and takes 30 minutes to travel by local public transportations such as a single motorcycle or “habal-habal” or a motorcycle with sidecar. The top three economic activities of the barangay are copra (dried coconut kernels) trading, “sari-sari store” and hog raising. The three major crops here include are banana, sweet potato and cassava.

In January 2016, a typhoon hit Northern Mindanao, including the Municipality of Medina; Barangay Tambagan was one of the affected barangays. 11 households were totally damaged. The natural disaster became a challenge for the barangay and its officials having been also affected by the typhoon and there were families displaced during that time. The damaged houses were caused by the overflowing of a nearby river.

The community was traumatized with this experience and caused them to fear it may happen again. This prompted the barangay to seek assistance for a proposed flood control structure from various agencies, this, however, did not get a positive result.

When the 2nd cycle of the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS started, the community did not hesitate to grab the opportunity to participate in the program’s activities, armed with the hope of having their flood control structure funded.

The community volunteers and residents of Tambagan supported the project through attending barangay assemblies, and participating in barangay and municipal activities which introduced them to process of Community-Driven Development (CDD). They also attended capacity building activities to help them manage their community sub-project.

True enough, with hard work and dedication of the community volunteers, Tambagan became one of the 7 prioritized barangays for the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS 2nd cycle implementation. The community people were happy with the funding of the Construction of 150-Linear Meter Flood Control Structure through the program, as this was identified as their top need during the Barangay Participatory Situational Analysis Workshop. The total project cost of the sub-project is P4,252,929.00 with Local Counterpart Contribution of P18,000.00 from Municipal Local Government Unit.

Leonides D. Rañoa, 51, DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee Secretary, and is also the secretary of the barangay said “Dili lalim ang pag prepara sa mga papel hilabi na nga bag o pami nakasinati sa Kalahi-CIDSS ug daghan kaayo ang porma nga usahay makalibog. Kinahanglan usab ko mubisita sa area kung aha nakabutang ang sub-project para mag monitor kung naa ba kini progress. Lisod tungod kai naa usab koy kabilinggan sa barangay (Since I have so much duties in my barangay, I can say that I had a hard time understanding what Kalahi-CIDSS is all about and especially the preparation of the forms confuses me sometimes. I also need to visit areas where sub-project was located and to monitor if it has progress)”

Ms. Leonides took these difficulties as a challenge. This was never a hindrance for her knowing that the construction of a flood control structure will benefit the entire community. She became one of the instruments in gaining the support of the community people.

“Ako ang usa nga mag-pahibalo sa council ug sa mga katawhan aron sila manambong pag mag asembliya ug kung adunay mga aktibidadis sa barangay, mu-contact ko sa mga 4Ps Parent Leaders aron mapahibalo nila ang ilang mga sakop (I am the one who informs the barangay council and the residents that we all need to attend the barangay assemblies and other activities of the barangay, I even contact all 4Ps Parent Leaders so the beneficiaries can attend)” said Leonides.

“Nagbunga gyud ang among kahago. Dako kaayo among pasalamat nga na fundingan mi sa DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, mao kini ang nakatubag sa dugay ra nga pangandoy nga flood control, ug tungod niini wala nay balay nga manga guba ug wala nai kahadlok ang mga tao nga basin mautro nasad ang panghitabo sauna ug tungod sa sub-project matagaan ug kompyansa ang mga katawhan nga luwas sila sa katalagman (Our hard work paid off. We are thankful that DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS funded our flood control structure because of this, the houses are now safe and the community is less fearful now that the disaster will be repeated, and because of the sub-project, our community are now confident that they will be safe from harm)” Leonides concludes.

DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS ensures that communities are actively involved in the process from start to end. Not only are they given direct access and control of the funds for their community projects, they also have the opportunity to participate in making key development decisions for their communities.

In the Philippines, CDD is implemented through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community-Driven Development Program (Kalahi-CIDSS NCDDP) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS and its community volunteers are advocating for Community-Driven Development (CDD) institutionalization in the local governments for the continuation and sustainability of its gains and empowered communities.

Story by Sohanida H. Tawano, Community Empowerment Facilitator

Access to an efficient health care facility and care services in the Philippines is one of the top priorities for our government; however, geographically challenged communities do not always have access to such. Barangay Maribojoc in Tudela, Misamis Occidental, is one of these communities.

The nearest health station is located at Barangay Canibungan Proper, Tudela, Misamis Occidental which is 5 kilometers away from Maribojoc and the nearest trail to the area is to cross the Timus river.

This changed when a government program aimed at empowering communities showed them that together – through volunteerism, the community can work to have better accessibility to health services and a comfortable health station.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP) helped Barangay Maribojoc in their quest to provide their own community with a proper health care facility.

DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS workers facilitated a series of barangay assemblies and processes to inform of the community on the possibilities of realizing a solution to their problem. During the series of assemblies and other community empowerment activities, the community volunteers of Barangay Maribojoc proposed a barangay health station as a solution to their lack of access to basic health care services.

This lead to the construction of a 1-unit Barangay Health Station community sub-project in Maribojoc, with a P898,276.00 fund from the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, and a P100,000.00 local counterpart from the barangay development fund of Maribojoc.

Josephine P. Oracion, 51, of Purok 1, Barangay Maribojoc was selected by their community to act as the, Community and Monitoring Team Chairperson narrates the difficulties in implementing the sub-project “so far, sa pag implementar sa among proyekto wala mi na encounter nga problema nga dako nga nakahatag og babag sa among proyekto, mga ginagmay lang susama anang usahay ma-delatar og is aka adlaw ang delivery sa materyales (so far, we did not encounter a big problem during the implementation that hampered our construction, it was minor like a delay of one day due to late delivery of construction materials).

“Ang among solusyon na gibuhat kay silbi isip volunteers og aduna man mi tagsa-tagsa ka katungod, so procurement committee maoy gitahasan nga mag follow up sa delivery aron ma fast track ang implementation sa among sub-project (we solved this by delegating our procurement committee to constantly follow-up on the delivery of materials to fast track the sub-project)” Josephine said.

One of the problems identified by the volunteers during the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS Participatory Situational Analysis (PSA) was not having accessible road and lack of water supply, “pasalamat kaayo mi nga adunay naka pondo gikan sa laing ahensya sa maong problema kay ang road concreting on going na ang implementation og ang patubig kay gihulat nalang ma download ang pondo sa barangay para masugdan ang proyekto. Panahon sa among Participatory Situational Analysis nga workshop, ang health station ang nag top 1 kay nasuta namo nga tanan katawhan ang maka benepisyo niini (we are thankful that another agency funded the projects needed to address the problems, the road concreting is now underway and the water system project is awaiting funds downloading from another agency. During the Participatory Situational Analysis, the health station was our top priority as the entire community will benefit from this)” said Josephine.

“Dako kaayo kini og katabang sa amoa nga isip usa ka lumolupyo sa among barangay ilabi na sa pag imuunization sa mga bata kay sa una sa Multi-purpose Hall ra ipahiluna ang pag immunize sa mga bata og kini dili maayo kay possible makahatag kini og epekto kay makalanghap sila og dili maayo na polusyon tungod kay open area ang multi-purpose. Ikaduha dili na mahasol ang mga barangay health workers nga mutabok pa sa suba para lang maka duty tungod ka yang ilang cluster office ay naa sa pikas barangay, og karon kay nalipay kayo mi ilabi na ang mga barangay health workers namo nga nakaangkon na gyod og kaugalingon nga health station (This health station is a big help for all of us here in Maribojoc, especially for the immunization of the children, before, the immunization takes place in a multi-purpose hall which is very harmful for the children as they might inhale polluted air since the multi-purpose hall is an open space. Also, we the Health Workers will no longer traverse the Timus River to report for duty at a health station on another barangay)” said Josephine.

“Isip usa ka Barangay Health Worker (BHW) og Community Volunteer sa Operation and Maintenance group mapasalamaton kaayo nga naka baton mi og kaugalingon nga health station kay dili nami mahasol nga muadto pa sa Barangay Canibungan para didto mag duty, dako kini og tabang sa amo nga BHWs kay dili  na mi magplite og usahay walay kung walay ikaplite mutabok mig sa Timos River para lang maka duty (As a Barangay Health Worker and community volunteer of the operation and maintenance group, I am thankful that we already have a health station, we no longer have difficulty in crossing to Barangay Canibungan to report for duty and we can save on transportation fare)” said by Virginia D. Jawom resident of Barangay Maribojoc.

“Nalipay kaayo ko nga naabot ang DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS program sa Maribojoc tungod kay maayo ang proseso nga ilang gi implement mao ang CDD diin kami nga lumulupyo sa barangay gihatagan og higayon nga makahibalo ilabi na sa maayong pagpadagan sa pangobyerno. Nindot kaayo ang proseso tungod kay kami mismo nga lumulupyo sa barangay ang maglihok o magdumala sa kinatibuk-an implementasyon sa program gikan sa pag assembly ngadto sa pag ila sa top 1 priority problem hangtod sa pag tukod sa sub-project, nindot kaayo ni nga proseso nga gamiton sa mga local government tungod kay mahatagan og higayon ang mga lumulupyo sa barangay (I am also happy that DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS program reached our barangay, the process called the Community-driven development (CDD) empowers our community and we are given authority and control over our decisions and resources as well as to construct our sub-project. This is a good process to be use by the local government units because this really empowers the community and gives them opportunity)” concludes Josephine.

The community is hopeful that more people would visit their place and they will embrace the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS Community-Driven Development approach. Community-Driven Development (CDD) is an approach that gives the community control of the development process, resources and decision making authority and regarded as the best assessors of the needs that their communities. The communities also have the responsibility of implementing, managing, and operating the sub-projects they have planned as well as maintaining them.

DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS ensures that communities are actively involved in the process from start to end. Not only are they given direct access and control of the funds for their community projects, they also have the opportunity to participate in making key development decisions for their communities.

In the Philippines, CDD is implemented through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community-Driven Development Program (Kalahi-CIDSS NCDDP) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS and its community volunteers are advocating for Community-Driven Development (CDD) institutionalization in the local governments for the continuation and sustainability of its gains and empowered communities.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries of Cagayan de Oro City, like this is in Baikingon and FS Catanico, join the Vote Counting Machine (VCM) Roadshow of the Commission on Elections of Cagayan de Oro City to have a glimpse of how it is going to be like on election day.

The roadshow allowed participants to practice shading and feeding their ballots to the VCM, aside from informing the voters on the prohibited acts during and after elections.
DSWD through the Pantawid Pamilya has partnered with the City COMELEC to empower the beneficiaries by letting them exercise their rights to suffrage.

The partnership is in line with the Bawal ang Epal Dito campaign of the DSWD to ensure that the implementation of 4Ps during elections and campaign period is free of political influence and manipulation while safeguarding the rights of Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries for free and honest elections.

==

Photos by Cagayan de Oro City Action Team.

Cagayan de Oro City – Four (4) units of ambulance were delivered to the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 last March 29, 2019 for the agency’s centers and residential care facilities.

The four (4) 70 Toyota Ambulance units were purchased by the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City amounting to Php164,990,000.00 for the use of the Regional Haven for Women, Regional Reception and Study Center for Children, Home for Girls which are located in Cagayan de Oro City and Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth, which is located in Gingoog City.

These centers and residential care facilities are temporary homes of individuals who are under difficult circumstances and are under the custody of the DSWD. In the facilities, they are provided with various interventions such as counselling, therapeutic sessions, livelihood and, medical assistance and services.

To date, there are now 15 women residents with 19 dependents in the Regional Haven for Women, 37 residents in the Regional Reception and Study Center for Children, 23 residents in Home for Girls and, 65 residents in Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth.

Mari-Flor A. Dollaga-Libang, Regional Director of the DSWD-10, says the four (4) units will be of great help to all the residents who need immediate medical attention from time to time in hospitals and clinics. ###cpt

Thirty-five local government units in Northern Mindanao attended the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10’s orientation today on social technology projects which they can opt to replicate to their own social services for their constituents.

Social Technology is an innovative model of social welfare and development intervention which utilizes theories and tested method intended to improve social conditions and human behavior of the disadvantaged, poor and vulnerable Filipinos.

Dr. Delia Maravillosa, Social Technology Unit Head of the DSWD-10, says the agency is constantly advocating various social technology projects, which includes those that respond to the needs of communities in resolving the issue on drug abuse. Social protection projects that are related to drug abuse resolutions include the Family Drug Abuse Prevention Program (FDAPP) and the Strategies Toward Acceptance, Reintegration, and Transformation (START).

FDAPP is a community-based prevention program designed to educate and prepare families about the adverse effects of drug abuse and it targets parents, youth, and adult within the family.

On the other hand, START is also a strategy that is focused on the organization of recovering drug dependents or users who will later become the advocacy arm at the community level and shall be equipped through the provision of the existing basic, social and psychosocial services.

Moreover, the DSWD has also developed the Comprehensive Intervention Against Gender Violence (CIAGV) as its response to the rising incidence of violence against women and children in the provinces. It helps improve the health conditions of women, adolescents and girls through improved prevention, assistance and reintegration of victims or survivors of violence. The agency, Dr. Maravillosa emphasizes, is also advocating this project to the LGUs.

Mari-Flor Libang, Regional Director of DSWD-10, also says that the agency commends all the LGUs for making measures and interventions to address the need to help our families and communities and that their program is apparently parallel to the social technology projects being advocated by the DSWD.

As its mandate, the DSWD responds to the emerging needs and trends that affect the lives of the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged individuals, groups or families under two key result areas: development of the new social welfare and development technologies; and the enrichment of existing social welfare and development programs.

On the other hand, Director Libang also expresses the agency’s commitment in marketing and promoting completed social technology projects for adoption and replication at the local level – which are the local government units and licensed social welfare and development agencies per Administrative Order 06, series of 2016 otherwise known as the “Enhanced Guidelines on Social Technology Development.”

Moreover, the Regional Development Council passed the RDC-X Resolution No. 22 series of 2018, “supporting the replication of the DSWD’s completed social technology projects,” which was forged during the 115^th RDC-X Full Council Meeting on June 2018. This paved way for the LGUs to adopt and replicate the Completed Social Technology Projects of the DSWD.

With the target to place 16 children for adoption in 2018, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 revealed through its Office Performance Contract Evaluation Report that it was able to place out 19 children instead, reaching 118% against its target.

Aldersey Mumar-de la Cruz, Officer-in-Charge Regional Director of the DSWD Field Office 10, said that this accomplishment shows how much effort the DSWD and its partners have worked together to ensure that the orphaned and those children declared as legally available for adoption are placed in families who they can call home.

De la Cruz also says that the DSWD will continue to intensify its advocacy on legal adoption, inviting potential families to consider legal adoption as one of their options in expanding their families.

According to Sean Pamela Balais, the DSWD is also asking the public to be very vigilant against simulation of birth, an illegal activity that manipulates information in birth certificates which eventually affects the true identity of a child. “We are asking the public to report these cases to DSWD, or to their local social welfare and development offices. This is an offense and should not be taken lightly.”

It is the mandate of the DSWD to protect the rights of the children and to ensure that these rights are being carefully respected by the public. xxxcpt