In celebration of Filipino Social Workers Day on June 19, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) paid tribute to the courage and commitment of agency social workers on the ground.
In the June 23 episode of the DSWD’s online documentary titled, “ Kwentong Angels in Red Vests,” it featured the social workers who comprise the reach out teams of the agency’s Pag-abot program.
When we think of people living on the streets, we often picture individuals sleeping
under bridges, beside canals, or along busy roads. They are easily seen but often overlooked.
For the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), they are Filipinos who deserve extra love and care, a chance to rebuild their lives, and the very reason for the Pag-abot Program.
“Sa ngayon ang pinagtutuunan ng pansin ng Oplan Pag-abot ay mga bridges, mga drainage system pero nakita naman natin doon sa una nating pinuntahan wala sila doon, pero ngayon mga ilalim ng tulay ang pupuntahan natin,” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in one of his interviews during a reach out operation of the Pag-abot teams.
Rather than waiting for vulnerable individuals to seek help, the DSWD social workers go directly to them. Day in and day out, the Pag-abot teams head out to areas in Metro Manila where the FISS are known to be regularly seen.
With empathy and persistence, social workers talk to families, listen to their stories, and encourage them to be “reached out,” and be provided with a comprehensive package of services from the agency.
“Basta nakita namin na yung pamilya o yung indibidwal nakatira sa lansangan, bahagi kaagad sila ng programa. Ang plano natin is palawakin, paigtingin tulad nga ngayon tinitignan na natin yung mga ilalim ng tulay, yung mga drainage. Hindi tayo titigil hanggang sa wala nang Pilipino na nakatira sa lansangan o sa danger zones,” the DSWD chief said.
According to Secretary Gatchalian, the DSWD Pag-abot Program teams are also working double time to prioritize the safety and protection of FISS—especially now that the rainy season has begun.
“Pero sa amin sa DSWD, ang importante sa amin mailikas sila ngayon na nag-uulan na. Sa amin ay mai-make sure na safe sila, maka-sure na meron silang tinitirhan while these national calamities are about to unfold,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
The work of social workers does not end there. After reaching out to the FISS, they also handle case management, ensuring that beneficiaries are provided with necessary intervention.
Through the Pag-abot Program, the DSWD provides a comprehensive package of services such as medical assistance, psychosocial intervention, and long-term livelihood support to help individuals and families transition from the streets to a safer and more secure life.
“Sa DSWD hindi lang materyal na bagay ang tulong, kundi yung psycho emotional, psychosocial, bahagi yan—maibalik yung self-worth, yung self-respect nila, yung dangal nila mai-balik natin fully—dahil hindi lang materyal na bagay ang ating itinutulong kundi ibinabalik din natin ang pag-asa na magkaroon ng panibagong buhay ang ating mga mamamayan na nire-reach out mula sa lansangan,” the DSWD chief explained.
As the nation marks Filipino Social Workers Day, this story is a tribute to the DSWD social workers, the Angels in Red Vests.
For them, social work is more than a profession but also a commitment to reach, care for, and uplift every Filipino.
Signed on January 18, 2024, the Pag-abot Program became one of the Marcos administration’s flagship programs through Executive Order No.52.
The EO institutionalized the program as a platform for an enhanced and unified delivery of services to vulnerable and disadvantaged children, individuals, and families in street situations, through the provision of social safety nets and protection against risks brought about by poverty.
The Kwentong ARV is hosted by Director Lara Ang Duran of the Traditional Media Service (TMS) and airs every other Monday over the DSWD Facebook page. It features stories of social workers and agency personnel dedicated to serving poor Filipinos with extra love and extra care. (YADP)