The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) welcomes the year 2011 with renewed hope as it enters its 60th year of public service today, January 3, with the theme, “The DSWD @ 60: Committed Social Service with Integrity.”

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that after 60 years “the DSWD has remained consistent and focused on its goals, building a reputation of committed service for Filipinos, providing package of programs for individuals, families, groups, and communities, always in a very capable and proficient manner.

The 60th Founding Anniversary will kick-off with the traditional flag raising ceremony to be followed by a Thanksgiving Mass.  The day will also be highlighted by the blowing of candles of the 60th Anniversary Cake and the reunion of Central Office officials and staff to be led by Secretary Soliman.

The celebration will be commemorated through weeklong activities from January 24 to 28, 2011.

The activities include the launching of a Coffee Table Book which chronicles DSWD’s 60 years of steadfast service to the disadvantaged sectors, the PANATA Awards which recognizes the contribution of DSWD partners and stakeholders, the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) for outstanding DSWD employees, and Loyalty Awards which recognizes officials and employees who have rendered 10 to 40 years of faithful service.

There will also be a grand homecoming of former DSWD officials & staff, as well as a Heritage & Memorabilia Exhibit and Products Exhibit of beneficiaries of the Self-Employment Assistance – Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program.  Moreover, fun activities for the employees through a Sports fest, extemporaneous speech and essay writing contests are also slated.  A DSWD’s Got Talent Competition and awarding of contest winners will cap the weeklong celebration.

Meanwhile, Secretary Soliman disclosed that the DSWD has developed the Convergence Framework for poverty reduction to maximize the impact of its poverty reduction programs through an effective targeting system and a holistic community development  approach.

This Framework, also known as the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Pathway out of Poverty, consists of the three key programs of the Department which are the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya), Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), and Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K).

The three-pronged poverty reduction approach of DSWD responds to the unique contexts of various segments of the poor. Sensitive to the capacities and needs of the people, each of the three programs has its own strategies and outputs but a common goal of poverty reduction and social protection.  In every stage of development, both public and private sectors have identified their contributions for the improvement of the well being of the beneficiaries. (DSWD-Social Marketing Service) January 3, 2011