The centers and residential care facilities of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office XI have adopted safety and precautionary measures to protect the residents and personnel against the threats of COVID-19.

Separate orientations on the novel coronavirus were conducted by the Home for Girls and Women, Home for the Aged, Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth, and Reception and Study Center for Children to the residents and personnel.

Visits have already been prohibited and families are encouraged to resort to phone calls instead.

Personnel who come in and out of the centers are subjected to foot bath mats, thermal scanners, and disinfectants upon entry.

Center officials have also ensured that social distancing and proper hygiene are practiced among residents and personnel.

Cleaning and disinfecting of areas are also regularly done in the facilities.

The Department continues to provide the delivery of maagap at mapagkalingang serbisyo to the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged, while putting premium to the health and safety of its beneficiaries and personnel in this time of public health emergency. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with local government units (LGUs), is set to provide family food packs and non-food items to families and individuals during the implementation of the community quarantine in some areas due to COVID-19.

This is part of the Department’s Technical Assistance and Resource Augmentation (TARA) mandate to assist LGUs as they address the food and other basic requirements of their constituents in times of emergencies.

The LGUs’ requests for augmentation shall be subject to validation by the assigned social welfare and development officer.

DSWD’s Field Offices (FOs) are now coordinating with LGUs in identifying target beneficiaries, distribution points, and strategies to be undertaken to ensure the smooth distribution of goods.

DSWD will also partner with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the hauling, delivery, and distribution of the food packs and non-food items such as hygiene kits to LGUs. 

DSWD FO XI has a total of P2.5 million standby funds and P40 million worth of food and non-food items to sustain the provision of food and other essential supplies to various communities.

Aside from these, DSWD is now finalizing its guidelines for the provision of social amelioration services that would further benefit families and individuals affected by this health crisis.

The Department continues to provide the delivery of maagap at mapagkalingang serbisyo to the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged, while putting premium to the health and safety of its beneficiaries and personnel in this time of public health emergency. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will temporarily suspend activities of some of its programs and services that require meeting or gathering of beneficiaries and other stakeholders until April 14.

The Department is temporarily suspending the payouts of Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens and Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT); Listahanan enumeration; activities of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) particularly the administration of Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI), over-the-counter pay-outs and distribution of cash cards; activities in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Offsite Serbisyo, Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA), Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), and  Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS); and service delivery assessments.  

The temporary suspension of the activities will minimize the exposure of beneficiaries, especially those from vulnerable groups such as children, persons with disabilities, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, and senior citizens, as well as DSWD employees, from the threats of COVID-19.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista though clarified that “social amelioration will not stop,” explaining that, “it is during these trying times that the Department shows its compassionate care to the poor, vulnerable and marginalized,” while recognizing, “that health is more valuable than anything else.”

Those needing medical and burial assistance, however, can still avail these through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), the DSWD said.  Even with the temporary suspension of some activities of certain programs and services, procedures on AICS are in place to ensure that clients receive their needed assistance.  Meanwhile, families who are affected by fire can still receive financial assistance or guarantee letters under the AICS, which will be given out in evacuation centers.

Secretary Bautista added that distribution of food and non-food items to clients will also continue through pre-determined channels. Local government units, as frontline in service delivery, will be provided with the necessary augmentation from the DSWD upon their request.

DSWD Centers and Residential Care Facilities (CRCFs) nationwide will also continue its operations, though visits from family members and other guests will be regulated, and proper social distancing will be implemented.

All Social Welfare Attaches shall remain in their diplomatic posts to continue assistance to distressed Overseas Filipinos (OFs).

Secretary Bautista also assured his colleagues in the DSWD that labor and workplace concerns are being addressed “as we refuse to compromise the safety of our personnel given the risks of COVID-19”.  “Government is now making arrangements so that workers affected by the community quarantine period will be remunerated, following existing regulations,” he stressed.

This, as he appealed to everyone “to remain calm and to fully cooperate,” reiterating that “makakaasa ang lahat na magpapatuloy ang maagap at mapagkalingang serbisyo mula sa DSWD.”

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has issued its own guidelines in support to the directives of President Rodrigo Duterte to further control the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the country.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista signed on March 14 Department Advisory Number 1 titled, “Guidelines for the Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of the Spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the DSWD Offices, Attached and Supervised Agencies.” The advisory outlines the various steps to be taken by the Department to safeguard its workforce, internal, and external stakeholders, and to prevent the spread of the disease.

One of the actions to be undertaken is the temporary suspension of some of the Department’s programs and services that require meeting or gathering of beneficiaries and other stakeholders from March 15 to April 14. The President’s directive emphasized that all mass gatherings shall be suspended.

The Department is temporarily suspending the payouts of Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens and Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT); Listahanan enumeration; activities of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) particularly the administration of Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI), over-the-counter pay-outs and distribution of cash cards; activities in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Offsite Serbisyo, Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA), Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), and  Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS); and service delivery assessments.  

The Department emphasized that it is deeply concerned with the health of  the beneficiaries and its personnel that it decided to temporarily suspend the activities of certain programs and services. This step will minimize the exposure of beneficiaries, especially those from vulnerable groups such as children, persons with disabilities, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, and senior citizens, as well as DSWD employees from the threats of COVID-19. 

The Department will assess the temporary suspension from time to time to ensure responsiveness of the policy to the evolving situation. This will be done to determine if the suspension of some program activities will have to be continued or otherwise.

Despite the suspension of some services, urgent medical and burial assistance can still be availed through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS). Clients may proceed to the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team Offices in the different provinces nationwide where 30 beneficiaries daily will be accepted for processing, and at various DSWD Field Offices where 50 beneficiaries daily will be processed. The DSWD Central Office will also accept and process the request for assistance of 100 beneficiaries daily.  A guarantee letter will be given to the beneficiaries.

The Department strongly advises younger and healthier members of the family to be the ones to apply and bring the necessary requirements instead of the elderly family members so as not to further compromise their health and well-being.

Meanwhile, families who are affected by fire may still receive financial assistance or guarantee letters under the AICS which will be given out in evacuation centers.

In addition, distribution of food and non-food items will continue based on the guidelines of the Department. The DSWD will coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police for the hauling, and with the local government units (LGUs) for distribution to the residents. As frontline in service delivery, LGUs provide initial assistance to their constituents. The DSWD, in turn, augments the resources of the LGUs.

DSWD Centers and Residential Care Facilities (CRCFs) nationwide will also continue its operations, but visits from family members and other guests will be regulated, and proper social distancing will be implemented.

With regard to the provision of social protection services to distressed Overseas Filipinos (OFs), all Social Welfare Attaches will remain in their diplomatic posts in their assigned countries for continuity of DSWD assistance.

To safeguard its employees who will provide continuous public service amid the COVID-19 health emergency, the Department will ensure the safety and good health of its skeletal workforce, through the provision of protective equipment and frequent sanitation and disinfection of their work areas.

DSWD appeals to the public to remain calm and to fully cooperate with the government by adopting social distancing and maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation at all times. The Department also guarantees that social amelioration will continue amidst the threat of COVID-19 to serve the poor, vulnerable and marginalized.