In a series of events held in towns Kauswagan and Kapatagan Lanao del Norte, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista, together with DSWD-10 Regional Director Mari-Flor Dollaga-Libang and DSWD Undersecretary Aimee Neri met with stakeholders, program beneficiaries and government partners working in collaboration with the DSWD in carrying out development programs by the government.

Secretary Bautista graced the official launching of the Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-Asa (BP2) Program in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte wherein DSWD will play a vital role in assisting LGUs of bringing back families from the National Capital Region (NCR) who decided and/or qualified to return to their respective hometowns and resettlement areas to start a new life after COVID-19. BP2 aims to decongest urban poor communities in the NCR and achieve a balanced regional development by providing opportunities for returning Filipino families and boosting countryside development. Kapatagan is the pilot municipality of BP2 in the country and serves as a model community for the achievement of the program’s objectives.

DSWD will provide financial assistance to families in their Transportation, Transitory Family Support Package, Livelihood Settlement Grants, moreover, taking part in building self-sustaining, prosperous communities with the delivery of projects through the Community-driven development (CDD) strategy of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS. Within the next two years, 10,000 families are targeted to be fully integrated to communities and resettlement areas in the provinces.

Secretary Bautista also attended the distribution of financial assistance to 100 indigent families in Kauswagan and 200 market vendors in Kapatagan who are economically affected by the impact of the current pandemic. Each family received Php3,000 through DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

Together with Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and cabinet secretaries, Secretary Bautista attended the launching of the Malasakit Center in Kapatagan Provincial Hospital, serving as a one-stop-shop for individuals seeking financial help from their medical needs and hospitalization bills. The center employs personnel from DSWD, Philhealth, PCSO and other agencies to assist Filipinos in time of their distress. During the occasion, DSWD extended financial assistance worth Php3,000 to 46 patients currently admitted in the said hospital.

The visit of the Secretary has been instrumental to improving the programs and services of the Field Office seeking to deliver prompt and quality service to its clientele in Region 10.  

“Mano po.” Kultura sa matag Pilipino ang taas nga pagtratar ug pagrespeto sa katigulangan. Busa ang gobyerno naghatag usab og respeto ngadto sa mga lolo ug lola, hilabi na ang kadtong mga kabus, huyang, ug duna nay mga balati-an, pinaagi sa paghatag ug tabang pinansyal alang sa ilang mga panginahanglanon sama pagkaon ug tambal.

Gahapon, Nobyembre 23, 2020, ang DSWD team nga gipangulohan ni Undersecretary Aimee Neri ug Director Mari-Flor Dollaga mihatag sa ilang pagrespeto ngadto kay lola Antonio Cajardo, 85 anyos, ug lola Dominga Sagubay, 78 anyos, ug mitunol sa ilang tabang pinansyal nga mukabat og P3,000, yawat makatabang kini sa ilang pagpamalit sa ilang tambal.

Ang maong tabang pinansyal ubos sa Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) Program, usa ka regular nga programa nga giimplementar sa DSWD alang sa mga katigulangan nga kabus, huyang, ug masakiton, og walay laing gigikan sa suportang pinansyal.

Sa SPISC, ang matag kwalipikadong senior citizen makadawat og P500 matag bulan, ug madawat kini matag unom ka-bulan.

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Missing a meal on the table is one of the worst fear a head of the family would never want to experience. With the occurrence of COVID-19, things came to worst. With the limitation of movements, business operations in most establishments were affected. The most hit are the labor sector and the vendors.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 extends the needs of these families through the recently approved Republic Act or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2).

Cagayan de Oro is not excused with these sad experiences. Showing support to Kagay-anons, DSWD-FO 10 in coordination with the local government unit of the city, release of subsidy is initiated. On its second (2nd) day today, a total of 121 qualified beneficiaries received P6,000 per family.

The government is doing its best to ease the burden of the family in finding solutions of providing their basic necessities during the pandemic, with DSWD as one of its implementing agencies.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development provides not only the financial assistance to people who are in dire need but also shows its care and love to the least fortunate.

In continuation of the efforts to assist families and individuals affected by Typhoon Ulysses in the Cagayan Valley, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has sent augmentation support to local government units in the region.

Earlier today, DSWD, through its Field Office (FO) II, sent Family Food Packs (FFPs) amounting to more than P4 million to affected towns in the said region.

In Cagayan, among the areas which received initial aid include Sta. Teresita with 807 FFPs, Sta. Paxedes which received 369 FFPs, Solana with 2,000 FFPs, and Tuguegarao City with 5,000 FFPs.

Meanwhile, in Quirino province, the towns of Aglipay, Cabarroguis, Diffun, Nagtipunan, and Saguday received 200 FFPs each, while the municipality of Maddela was provided 300 FFPs.

To augment the resources of the FO, DSWD National Resource Operations Center (NROC) is sending additional 10,000 food packs, 2,000 hygiene kits, and 2,000 sleeping kits to the region.

DSWD Field Office II Director Fernando De Villa is consistently coordinating with local chief executives in all affected municipalities to ensure that all the needs of affected families will be immediately addressed.

The Department, as lead agency in the Food and Non-Food Item (FNFI) Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ensures the sufficiency of food and non-food items that can be augmented to local governments in the event of a calamity or disaster. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to provide augmentation support to local government units (LGUs) that have been severely affected by Typhoon Ulysses.

As of today, a total of ₱13,831,226.75 worth of assistance has already been provided by DSWD to the affected LGUs.

On November 13, DSWD Field Office (FO) CALABARZON hauled 1,000 family food packs (FFPs) for the cities of Sta Rosa and San Pedro in Laguna. Some 550 sacks of NFA rice from NFA Provincial Office in General Trias, Cavite have also been delivered to the FO’s warehouse in Dasmariñas. The rice will be repacked and will form part of the FFPs which will be distributed to more affected families in the region.

A total of 12,000 food packs have also been allocated by FO CALABARZON to five municipalities in Polillo Island in the Quezon province. The food packs will be hauled from the FO’s Cavite Warehouse and will be ferried on Monday to the affected municipalities with the help of the Philippine Coast Guard. The FO has also allocated food packs for the rest of the affected municipalities in Quezon.

In addition, FO CALABARZON also provided additional FFPs to the Municipality of Siniloan in Laguna. The food packs were distributed to the affected residents at Barangays Kapatalan and Wawa on November 13 by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office.

In Cagayan Valley, DSWD FO II also facilitated the hauling of 1,300 FFPs in the province of Quirino for distribution to the municipalities in the region.

The Field Office also delivered today 5,000 FFPs as initial assistance to Tuguegarao City and extended 2,000 food packs as initial aid to Solana, Cagayan.

To augment the resources of the FO, DSWD National Resource Operations Center (NROC) will send additional 10,000 food packs, 2,000 hygiene kits, and 2,000 sleeping kits to the region.

Meanwhile, DSWD FO I, with the help of Philippine National Police Regional Office I, hauled 1,540 FFPs to the FO’s satellite warehouses in Batac, Ilocos Norte; 2,000 food packs to Bantay, Ilocos Sur; and 700 FFPs to Urdaneta City, Pangasinan which will be provided as augmentation support to the affected LGUs in the region.

In the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the DSWD FO in the region has provided 244 food packs and 69 family kits to affected families in Pinukpuk, Kalinga and 206 food packs to Luna, Apayao.

DSWD Field Offices continue to conduct repacking activities of FFPs to replenish their relief resources and to ensure the continuous provision of aid to the affected families.

Aside from extending augmentation support, the Department as chair of the Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council,  also continues to assist LGUs in managing evacuation centers. To ensure the safety and welfare of women and children-evacuees, DSWD Field Offices also provide technical assistance in the establishment of child- and women-friendly spaces in the evacuation centers.

Based on latest report, some 80,098 families or 303,055 persons are still taking temporary shelter in 2,980 evacuation centers in Regions I, II, III, CALABARZON, V, CAR, and National Capital Region.

DSWD continues to coordinate closely with concerned LGUs to assist them in responding to the needs of the affected families.

Help from volunteers

To help DSWD respond swiftly to the food needs of the affected families, various groups and organizations had volunteered to help repack relief goods at NROC in Chapel Road, Pasay City.

Today, some 39 volunteers from Barangay 178, Pasay City led by Air Force Reservist Major Richard Rivera are helping DSWD personnel prepare food packs that will be distributed to families who have been affected by the typhoon.

The volunteers helped produce 5,000 FFPs which will be delivered to Cagayan Valley today.

“DSWD has a mechanized production system which streamlines and automates the production of our FFPs. However, since we need to continuously respond to the needs of LGUs affected by the series of typhoons that recently struck the country, we have to augment the production of our relief resources through manual repacking. Our volunteers greatly contribute in ensuring that we can quickly and efficiently provide relief aid to our affected LGUs,” DSWD National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) Director Emmanuel P. Privado said.

The Department, as lead agency in the Food and Non-Food Item Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ensures the sufficiency of food and non-food items that can be augmented to local governments in the event of a calamity or disaster. ###

As the lead agency in the Food and Non-Food Cluster during disaster response and as part of its Technical Assistance and Resource Augmentation function, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to provide relief support to local government units (LGUs) to  help them meet the needs of their constituents affected by Typhoon Rolly.

As of 6AM, November 2, more than P164,000 worth of relief assistance were initially provided by DSWD, through its Field Office (FO) V, to the province of Albay.

DSWD is  also sending 3,500 family food packs (FFPs) to the provinces of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur, through the assistance of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Logistics Cluster. In addition, the Department is  delivering 500 modular tents to be used by internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Bicol Region.

Likewise, the National Resource Operations Center (NROC), the Department’s main disaster hub, augmented 31,500 kilograms (kg) of rice to DSWD FO CALABARZON, and 10,000 pieces of 6-kg rice packs to DSWD FO I.

Aside from relief goods, the Department is also providing psychosocial intervention to the affected families in the regions battered by Typhoon ‘Rolly’ to help them cope with their traumatic experience.

On the other hand, as head of the Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster, DSWD monitors the situation of evacuation centers set up by LGUs.  DSWD social workers are also deployed in the temporary shelters to guide LGUs in ensuring that evacuees are served and proper protocols are observed. As of press time, more than 10,000 families or almost 40,000 individuals are staying in 601 evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, DSWD also started its preparations for Tropical Storm ‘Siony.’ The Department assured the public that it still has sufficient resources to aid localities along the track of the new storm.

As of the latest report of the Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB), the Department maintains stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than P842,000,000. Of which, more than P254,000,000 are standby funds available at the Central Office and FOs. Moreover, 280,785 FFPs were prepositioned in strategic locations across the country.

DSWD remains in close coordination with the concerned LGUs to ensure that all the needs of the affected families are met. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and all its disaster response teams along the track of Typhoon ‘Rolly’ are now activated and on alert status to respond to any eventuality that may occur due to the weather disturbance.

According to the Department’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), Quick Response Teams (QRTs) are ready for deployment to assist local government units (LGUs) to render immediate and timely disaster response to their constituents.

Likewise, emergency equipment have been prepared to ensure communication among disaster teams during disaster operations.

As of the 6PM, October 31 report, DSWD maintains stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than P884,000,000. Of which, more than P304,000,000 are standby funds available at the Central Office and Field Offices. Moreover, 260,164 family food packs (FFPs) were also prepositioned in strategic areas across the country.

Meanwhile, the Department also reminded citizens to remain vigilant and alert on the possible effect of the typhoon and to cooperate with their respective LGUs to ensure their safety. ###

Mercy P. Solatorio is a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino or 4Ps grantee with four children residing in Lala, Lanao del Norte. She is the over-all parent leader in their barangay. She was able to avail a individual loan of Php 5,000.00 under the SEA-K program, former name of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), which she used to purchase 3 piglets and feeds to start her hog fattening project. From her profit in every cycle she used for the school and household expenses including paying debts.

Mercy was also trained on Dressmaking which was funded through a BUB-SLP project in year 2017. The training enhanced her rusty dressmaking skill. Her fellow 4Ps members and neighbors would have their clothes done by her which added to her daily income in paying off her loans.

One of her children was trained in rag-making and used her acquired skills in making household rags using the excess or unused pieces of cloths from her mother’s work and sell them at a very affordable price.

In 2018, the barangay council issued a resolution in banning hog fattening within 50 meters from the residence. Mercy then changed her project to sari-sari store and food vending that made her earn Php 1,000.00 – 2,000.00 sales daily. With this, she was able to give enough school allowances to her children.

Mercy admitted that a portion of the income is sometimes used for sudden or unexpected expenses. It is through availing small loans from local micro-financing institutions that she sustain her sari-sari store. She is very thankful that even though life hits her hard, she was able to stand up again. As what she said, “Kinahanglan think positive jud sa kinabuhi dili magyaya para naay makaon ang pamilya. Kinahanglan moabag jud sa panginabuhian sa bana para mapa eskwela ang mga anak ug makakaon ang pamilya. Sa pagpaningkamot bahala ug nakautang utang nakapahuman sa anak ug sa bulig sa Ginoo nakapasar ang anak sa Social Work Examination adtong 2018 ug karun nagtudlo na sa Collegio de Kapatagan. (We have to think positive in life so that we can feed our family. We need to be able to contribute to our husband’s income so that we can send our children to school and have food for the family. Through hardwork, despite the many loans, my child was able to finish [college]. And with God’s help, my child passed the Social Work Examination last 2018 and is now teaching at Collegio de Kapatagan).” Her daughter shares part of her salary for the family’s daily needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected the sales of her store. It is still operational but experienced lower sales as many people within her community lost their jobs, including her husband. Jobs come by so rarely that some of the stocks in her store were consumed by her family and high on credit from neighbors who pay only whenever they can. Whatever her husband can earn, they use in re-stocking their store.

Mercy still continued with her cloth repairing business. This time around, the extra pieces of cloths she uses in making re-usable cloth face masks for her family’s use and for sale. Some she gave away to her neighbors who do not have money to buy masks, and donated some to Barangay Health Workers and to her 4Ps cluster members.

Her daughter is still teaching but hopes to practice her profession as a Social Worker in DSWD. Her other children are enrolled in modular classes and help out in selling food in the morning.

Being a Parent Leader in the new normal is challenging for Mercy. Most of her cluster members do not have smart phones to watch the electronic Family Development Session (eFDS) which can be viewed every Friday through a Facebook livestream of DSWD. “Tungod kay dili tanang mga sakop sa 4Ps naay hightech na cellphone o internet para makalantaw sa eFDS, ang amu pamaagi para makalantaw jud tanan sa eFDS amu nalang ibutang sa USB ug pagkahuman ipalantaw tag lima lima sa mga mga sakop arun makaapil jud tanan sa eFDS (Because not all member of 4Ps have cellphone or internet [access] so that they can watch the eFDS, we would download and save it in a USB and let them watch it by 5 persons at a time so that everybody has the chance to attend the eFDS).”

Despite all of these challenges, Mercy keeps a positive outlook in life with firm belief that everything will turn just fine for everyone even amidst the pandemic.

Story and photos contributed by Elsie A. Galon, Project Development Officer II