Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, joined by Undersecretary Eduardo Punay of the agency’s Innovations Group and Executive Director Anna Cabrera of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Inc., leads the media re-launch of ’Angel Pets’ on Wednesday (February 19) at the Sanctuary Center in Mandaluyong City.

The media re-launch aims to raise public awareness on Angel Pets, a collaborative program of the DSWD and the PAWS that seeks to tap on animal-assisted therapy to enhance the therapeutic and healing interventions  for the clients of  the agency-managed centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs).

During the event, Secretary Gatchalian shared a short, light-hearted interaction with the PAWS’ emotional support dogs dubbed ‘Dr. Dogs’ as they conducted fun-filled therapy sessions with the adult women of the Sanctuary Center.

Also joining the DSWD chief in the re-launching were Asst. Secretary Ellaine Fallacurna of the  DSWD-International Affairs and Supervised Agencies (IASAs) Group and Director Helen Suzara of the Social Technology Bureau (STB).