QUEZON CITY, (PIA) --Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the first day of the full implementation of the DSWD’s Oplan Pag-Abot project in Metro Manila.
During the reach-out operations on Monday (July 3), Gatchalian joined the Oplan Pag-Abot Team in reaching out to the families and individuals living along the stretch of Macapagal and Roxas Boulevards in Pasay City.
“Ngayong unang araw ng expanded reach out operations, minabuti natin na sumama sa reach-out para ma-monitor ang proseso,” Gatchalian said, ensuring that the Pag-Abot project's procedure continues to adhere to human rights protocols. (For today’s expanded reach-out operations, we decided to join to monitor the standard operating procedure.)
Gatchalian personally talked and convinced families in street situations to voluntarily be taken under the DSWD's custody so they could be provided with necessary and appropriate assistance under the Oplan Pag-Abot.
The DSWD chief explained to the reached-out families, including the one who came from an Aeta Community in Olongapo City, that the agency is ready to assist them and will give them livelihood opportunities once they decide to return to their home provinces.
After the reach-out operations, the families were brought by the Pag-Abot Team to the processing center at the Pasay City Sports Complex for an initial assessment and interview by DSWD social workers.
“Ang processing center is meant to identify kung saan natin sila pansamantalang patitirahin (to which our DSWD centers these families will temporarily stay)” Gatchalian said, ensuring that further assistance will be provided after the reach out.
As part of the project’s protocols, the social workers administered the biometrics registration of the reached-out families and issued them identification cards.
The DSWD chief explained that the assessment of the social workers would determine the intervention to be provided to the families, which may include medical assistance, food support, transportation and relocation aid, livelihood opportunities, transitory family support packages, emergency financial assistance, and transitory shelter assistance.
Gatchalian also pointed out that the aim of the program is to protect every family and individual in street situations from risks and vulnerabilities, while also ensuring that their rights and welfare are protected.
“This is gonna be a mainstream program of the Department. Hindi na siya add-on program na seasonal. Sa atin ngayon, ito na ang thrust natin, abutin ang mga pamilya sa lansangan.” the DSWD Secretary explained. (This is gonna be a mainstream program of the department. It will not be a seasonal program anymore. Our aim here is to reach out to the families in street situations.)
Gatchalian and the Oplan Pag-Abot Team were also joined by Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano during the reach-out operations in the targeted areas.
The DSWD chief expressed his gratitude to the Pasay City government, recognizing the importance of the partnership with the DSWD in the implementation of the Pag-Abot Project in Metro Manila.
Gatchalian stressed that the DSWD plans to replicate the project in other highly urbanized areas in the country.
“Once we finish the run in Metro Manila, ie-expand din natin ito sa ibang lugar pa sa ating bansa (we will expand it in other areas),” Secretary Gatchalian said.
The DSWD will continue the reach-out operations in three more cities in the capital region, including Pasay, Manila, and Caloocan this July on a shifting basis to ensure that families and individuals in street situations will be provided with the necessary interventions. (dswd/pia-ncr)
