DAVAO ORIENTAL— The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has established a rehabilitation program set to benefit victims of torture and the families of the victims of involuntary disappearances.

Through the program called “Healing Intervention Leading to Optimum Management for Victims of Torture and Enforced Disappearance and their Family Members” (locally known as PAGPAAYO), a committed and functional rehabilitation team from the LGU and regional levels will provide services that will promote healing, rebuilding, reparation, and access to justice for victim-survivors of torture and enforced disappearances.

In behalf of the Provincial Government, Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the representatives of national agencies and civil society organizations, defining the role of all involved parties in the implementation of the program.

The MOA signing which was held on July 4 at the Grand Conference Room of the Provincial Capitol saw the presence of national agencies which are the DSWD, Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Department of Justice, Department of Health, and the Department of Interior and Local Government.  Representatives from civil society organizations, who also signed the agreement, are the Families of Involuntary Disappearance and the Balay Rehabilitation Center.

The program was created after a research was conducted by the Social Technology Bureau (STB) of the DSWD. Based on the result, there is a high incidence of torture and enforced disappearances covering the period from 1983 until the year 2015.

The DSWD through its counterparts in the municipal and provincial levels is yet to identify the victims who will benefit from the program.

CHR Regional Commissioner Director Edmundo Albay, in a speech delivered for him by Atty. Rochelle Marie Solis during the MOA signing said that the “victims of these serious human rights violations are placed outside the protection of the law and therefore cannot avail of existing safeguards provided by the state. The Commission sees the provision of a rehabilitation program as a manifestation of due regard to the human rights of victims of torture and enforced disappearance.”

Thelsa Biolena, Director of STB, says that these torture victims “may have healed physically but are still manifesting that they have not yet moved on from the trauma that they went through.”

The program which will be pilot-tested here in the province will provide interventions for the physical, mental, social, psychological healing, and development of victims of torture and their families.

The pilot intervention will likewise be conducted in the National Capital Region and Region IX where the highest occurrence of torture and enforced disappearance were recorded. (Riza M. Golez/Davao Oriental Provincial Information Office)

PICE FOR MARAWI. Officers and members of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. (PICE) led by PICE National 2^nd Vice President Engr. Erdsan Rene S. Suero [in barong] donate P1.7 million to affected families in war-torn Marawi City. Of the P1.7 million, P1.5 came from PICE National while P200,000.00 was shared by PICE Davao. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat received the donation Friday. (DSWD)

THE City Government of Davao received recently P34 million cash and rice for the supplementary feeding program of children enrolled in day care centers within the city.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Davao Region assistant regional director Rebecca Santamaria, after the weekly flag ceremony held at City Hall grounds Monday, said this amount aims to support 28,000 children of 653 day care centers in Davao City.

A check amounting to P26,474,424 and rice worth P7,758,360 was issued to Davao City.

City administrator Zuleika Lopez represented Davao City Monday in the turnover ceremony.

“This is the fifth year that we did this, we downloaded money for the city, but for the other provinces, cities, and municipalities of Region 11, and we are able to download funds seven times already. Sa Davao city, we hope again to download again within this year,” she said.

She said the amount was supposed to be delivered for 2016 school year but it was delayed due to problems encountered with the memorandum of agreement of the city.

The cash and rice support for the supplementary feeding program will be utilized by day care centers for this school year. (Sun Star Davao)

Davao City (DSWD XI) – A total of 224 Pantawid beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) graduated during the Security Services NC I Culmination Program on Thursday, June 28 at Bago Oshiro Gym, Tugbok District.

The training was made possible through the partnership of the Department’s Sustainable Livelihood Program and Bagwis Security Training Academy.

“Wala’y kabutangan akong kalipay nga kamo milampos (I could not contain my happiness with your achievement),” Luis Seras, DSWD Project Development Officer (PDO), said in his message to the graduates. “Di na nako mo halos makaila tungod sa inyong uniform (I could hardly recognize you with your uniform).”

The graduates donned the uniforms that were given as starter-kits by the Department.

The partner training academy, upon signing the Memorandum of Agreement, guaranteed 70% employment for the graduates. It invited six security agencies for the On-the-Spot Hiring. More or less 51 beneficiaries were hired by three agencies and were told to be posted in their different assignments the next day while the others were waitlisted in the remaining agencies.

Xandrex Sentilles of the training academy assured all the licensed security guards that there are more agencies contacting them for hiring. “Ang among tumong dili lang mahuman mo sa training pero kamo makatrabaho (We aim that you will not just complete the training but for you to be employed).”

The 224 beneficiaries are not only NC I holders but licensed security guards.

The Sustainable Livelihood Program is a community-based capacity building effort that seeks to improve the beneficiaries’ socio-economic status through Micro-Enterprise Development and Employment Facilitation. (DSWD)

AID FOR MARAWI. Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) and Aboitiz Foundation donate some 149 boxes (10,430 pcs.) High Energy Biscuits to affected families in Marawi through DSWD’s continuing relief operations for the internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in the armed conflict area. In photo are [L-R] DSWD disaster unit staff Bonifacio Lumaad Jr.; Fermin Edillon, Community Relations Manager of DLPC; Erna A. Sampiano, DSWD Disaster Risk Reduction Unit head; and Raquel E. Nunez, chief of DSWD’s Protective Services Unit. (DSWD)

MACO CENTENARIANS. Four centenarians from Maco, Compostela Valley are honored during the LGU’s Monday convocation by recognizing  their longevity and awarding them the centenarian cash gift of Php 100,000.00 led by Mayor Alvera Veronica Rimando [standing, 3^rd from right].

“I thank DSWD for the cash gift given to our centenarians. We will monitor the usage of the cash so that the purpose of this will be followed,” Mayor Rimando said.

Also in this photo are officials from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Maco Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. Under the 2016 budget, eight centenarians from Compostela Valley province are eligible to receive. Under the law, all Filipinos who have reached the age of 100, whether residing in the country or abroad, shall receive a cash award of Php 100,000.00 from the national government as “centenarian gift”. (DSWD)

TARRAGONA CENTENARIAN. A 102 year-old centenarian from Tarragona, Davao Oriental receives the centenarian gift of Php 100,000.00 from Mayor Nestor L. Uy and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Protective Services Division Chief Raquel E. Nunez. The municipality of Tarragona will also give Php 30,000.00 as its centenarian gift on top of the cash gift from DSWD. Under the 2016 budget, six centenarians from Davao Oriental are eligible to receive. (DSWD)

New Bataan, Compostela Valley (DSWD XI) – “Sa wakas makasuot na gayud ko og toga (Finally, I can wear a toga),” Quirina delos Santos, 48, one of the beneficiaries from the municipality of New Bataan, was ecstatic while donning the academic gown and cap lent by the Endonela Institute of Technology Foundation, Inc. during the graduation ceremony of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at New Bataan Gymnasium, Compostela Valley last June 6.

“Kahibaw na ko magbuhat og cake ug ice cream. Manganlan na sab nako ang mga ingredients pati ang mga gamit (I have learned to bake cake and make ice cream. I can as well name the ingredients and the tools to use),” Nanay Quirina proudly boasted.

In fact, during the final assessment conducted by a specialist from TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), she landed second in her class. “Wala nay pa-edaray karon. Naa ra na sa imong diskarte (Nowadays, age won’t matter anymore but it’s one’s ingenuity),” she explained.

Nanay Quirina, a high school graduate, had badly wanted to pursue college but didn’t have the financial resources to help her in achieving it. “Lisod muskwela sauna kay wala gyud ka-kwarta-kwarta akong mga ginikanan (It was hard to pursue schooling since my parents were financially hard up).”

Now that she has earned an NC II for Cookery, she eyes to work abroad along with her sisters currently working there. “Maong mapasalamaton kaayo ko sa DSWD kay kung dili sa ila dili intawon ko maka-graduate sa Cookery (That is why I am so grateful to DSWD. If not for DSWD, I wouldn’t have finished the Cookery course).”

Nanay Quirina, is one of the 25 graduates of Cookery NC II along with 50 more graduates from Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II and Heavy Equipment Operator – Hydraulic Excavator NC II technical vocational courses who also received starter kits for their respective livelihood skills during the ceremony.

The Sustainable Livelihood Program is a community-based capacity building effort that seeks to improve the beneficiaries’ socio-economic status through Micro-Enterprise Development and Employment Facilitation. (DSWD)