We have opportunities to assess our strength as a welfare institution, plan for the challenges we are all certain to meet, and at the same time give tribute to the hard working men and women of DSWD.
First our Pantawid Program: FO XI assists 203,753 beneficiaries, and of this number, 75% or 157,906 beneficiaries have raised their level of well-being from survival to subsistence. In the meantime, 21.32% or 43, 446 others are now in the self-sufficient level.

Out of 227 community development projects in 375 barangays within the Davao region, 61 have already been completed through Kalahi-CIDSS. We know we still have a long way to go to finish all the projects.

This 2017, I am certain that our units will work harder with our communities to make sure that more infrastructure that improves the welfare of our families in the communities will be finished and more leaders will rise from the grassroots level.

FO XI has served 6,495 households through the micro-enterprise development and capital seed fund modality, as well as assisted the employment of 5,661 beneficiaries.

FO XI has helped 82,531 indigent senior citizens receive their P500 monthly stipend.

This year, let us set the goal to help even more impoverished senior citizens and reach out to communities where many of them cannot process their own applications.
Despite the law on devolution, our kababayans still turn to us first during times of calamity and expect our immediate assistance. We cannot and must never disappoint them. In 2016, FO XI has been able to help 423, 354 disaster-affected families.
Our mandate is made all the clearer because of our new mission, vision, and goals to serve the poor, empower them, and contribute to national efforts for transformation and genuine pro-people change.
Additional projects should be implemented early this year. The centenarian fund for 2016 has already been released. We need to give it as fast as we could to our centenarians.
Additional rice subsidy for our Pantawid will be implemented within the year. The social pension will now be universal. And of course, the medicine assistance to which your region is one of the identified beneficiaries.
Continue your good work and push even harder for the widespread implementation of our programs. Push our LGUs and barangays hard to assist us in our efforts to reach more Filipinos in need. Push ourselves harder to achieve more and to help more Filipinos in need.
Naniniwala ako sa kakayanan, lakas at husay ng mga kawani at opisyales ng DSWD Field Office XI. Muli, isang maligayang 66th anniversary, maraming salamat, at mabuhay tayong lahat!

LINGAP SA MASA. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo [third from right] leads the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement in the implementation of Libreng Gamot Para Sa Masa Program during the DSWD 66^th Anniversary Program in Davao City. Other signing officials are [from left] Davao Medical Center (DRMC) Chief Bryan O. Dalid, DSWD Protective Services Bureau Director Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan, DSWD Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Chief Leopoldo J. Vega, and SPMC Chief Administrative Officer Ricardo SD. Justol.

DSWD regions NCR, 3, 6, 7 and 11 will undertake the Php 1 billion medicine assistance program. DSWD Davao Region has been allotted Php 150 million to carry out the program in partnership with SPMC and DMC. (DSWD)