As part of the ongoing rehabilitation efforts in Marawi City, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has succeeded in setting-up  its Marawi Operations Center (OpCen) in Brgy. Tampilong in the said city to ensure that interventions will be useful in meeting the requirements of  internally displaced persons (IDPs), according to DSWD-Officer-in Charge Emmanuel Leyco who joined  this morning’s Bangon Marawi press briefing in Malacanang.

“The DSWD OpCen will serve as the nerve center of our operations as we continue to establish human infrastructure in the area. Our efforts will now be focused on helping IDPs regain  confidence in themselves and in their community,” OIC Leyco said.

 The OIC added that the DSWD-Field Office XII in Sultan Kudarat will manage the OpCen, to be assisted by DSWD-Field Office X in Cagayan de Oro. Undersecretary for Mindanao Concerns Luzviminda Ilagan will provide the overall directions of the OpCen.

 To date, aside from providing relief assistance to IDPs, especially those who are still in evacuation centers, the DSWD also implements various services  such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), among others.

Suspended conditionalities of Pantawid

OIC-Leyco also announced that the conditionalities for  Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, such as sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for check up, and attending the Family Development Sessions (FDS), have been suspended to further assist beneficiaries.

“The suspension may be extended as long as it is needed,” he continued. “As of now, we have extended the suspension until March.”

Responding to the question if the DSWD has come up with mechanisms to include non-Pantawid families in the program, he explained that they should be assessed based on the criteria of the program, and if they are qualified they should be included.

Some 12,000 families in Marawi City are currently enrolled in Pantawid Pamilya.

Modified livelihood assistance

OIC-Leyco also said that the Department’s SLP, a livelihood assistance project that provides capital assistance to poor families, has also been modified. Families who are still in evacuation centers can already avail of the capital assistance to help them start their own income-generating projects.

“We are customizing the SLP and how it is being implemented to ensure that it more responsive to the needs of its beneficiaries in Marawi,” he said.

Total assistance

On the assistance provided to IDPs, OIC-Leyco  estimated that around P800 million has been disbursed and that a total of P3 billion is still being disbursed.

“Our main assistance to IDPs includes food and non-food items,” OIC Leyco stated.

Preps for ‘Urduja’

OIC- Leyco further shared that DSWD has already activated the National Disaster Response Cluster as Tropical Storm Urduja is expected to make a landfall in Eastern Samar tomorrow.

The DSWD has a stockpile of 368,000 family food packs worth P223 million as well as food and non-food items worth P393 million. Further, the Department has available standby funds amounting to P245 million. ###