Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla forged a partnership on Monday (March 3) for the implementation of the Client Referral and Psycho-Social Intervention Program, in a simple agreement signing ceremony at the DOJ Central Office in Padre Faura, Manila.
In his message during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the DSWD chief said: “Through the partnership, the DOJ will refer clients in crisis situations due to circumstances of injustice inflicted upon them. In turn, we [DSWD] will provide financial assistance to help them as they seek justice, along with psycho-social interventions to aid
in their recovery.”
Secretary Gatchalian said the program is a pursuit of social justice, where the DSWD, as the champion of social protection, merges its services with the DOJ as an institution that upholds the rule of law, to help the individuals in crisis achieve justice.
The DSWD chief added that the Department welcomes the joint undertaking and expressed gratitude to the DOJ for recognizing the need to address the psycho-social needs of individuals in crisis as they pursue the full remedies of the law.
“Oftentimes, we hear stories about the poor and the vulnerable sectors unable to get justice and assistance to pursue their cases, and of victims who failed to access the interventions they need,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
The DSWD and DOJ partnership is also pursuant to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr for the executive agencies to work together and provide holistic interventions to those in need to achieve a “Bagong Pilipinas” where Filipinos are free from poverty and hunger, and protected from any form of abuse.
In implementing the Client Referral and Psycho-Social Intervention Program, the DSWD and DOJ acknowledged the importance of justice in building a just and progressive nation.
The undertaking follows the whole-of- government approach in addressing the Filipino people’s needs, especially for the DOJ clients in crisis situations.
With the program, clients of the DOJ Action Center (DOJAC) who are in crisis can rest assured that the DSWD and DOJ will accompany them in their journey for justice, according to the DSWD chief.
Also present during the MOU signing were DSWD Undersecretary Monina Josefina Romualdez, DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, and DOJ Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez. (GDVF)