The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is strengthening the implementation of its Pag-abot Program nationwide to provide sustainable interventions for vulnerable families and individuals in street situations (FISS), an agency official said Wednesday.
DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the program continues to expand its reach through coordinated interventions across the country, including livelihood assistance, case management and reintegration support.
In the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the DSWD Field Office-CAR recently reached out to families and individuals in street situations in Baguio City and provided them with livelihood packages.
“We want to ensure that those reached out in the provinces are given sustainable interventions to help them start anew. Dito sa ating Pag-abot processing center, mas mararamdaman nila yung kalinga na ating ibinibigay (Here in our Pag-abot processing center, they would better feel the care that we provide),” Dumlao said in a statement.
She added that similar reach-out activities are being conducted in the provinces of Kalinga, Abra and Mountain Province.
In Region 12, the DSWD Field Office-SOCCSKSARGEN partnered with the local government unit of Surallah, South Cotabato to profile individuals in street situations, facilitating case management and reintegration assistance for those willing to return to their home provinces.
Meanwhile, the DSWD Field Office-Davao Region extended a livelihood grant in the form of a tricycle to the Lacat family in Malita, Davao Occidental, following their safe return from Manila.
Based on the latest report, the Pag-abot Program has profiled 29,689 individuals, reached out to 22,597, and successfully reintegrated 20,899 beneficiaries into their respective communities.
To accommodate the increasing number of beneficiaries, the DSWD currently operates dedicated Pag-abot processing centers in Pasay City and Liloan, Cebu. A third processing center in San Fernando, Pampanga, is expected to open later this year.
“Having our own processing centers is important because this is where we immediately provide safe shelter, medical screening, and basic needs like food and clothing to FISS away from the dangers of the streets,” Dumlao said.
She said social workers immediately provide comprehensive interventions once beneficiaries are admitted to the processing centers, including financial assistance, temporary shelter, transportation, livelihood support, psychosocial services and family tracing.
Dumlao said the Pag-abot Inter-Agency Committee continues to spearhead nationwide efforts through community advocacy and coordinated delivery of services.
“We are actively strengthening our partnerships with local government units, as well as our efforts in the inter-agency committee to secure commitments from partners, and expanding the skills of our implementers to improve our service delivery,” she said.
Institutionalized through Executive Order No. 52 issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Pag-abot Program provides a unified system of services and social protection for vulnerable families and individuals in street situations.
The DSWD encouraged the public to report vulnerable individuals or families in street situations through the official DSWD Pag-abot Program Facebook page or by calling its hotline at 8-931-9141. (PNA)
