The official spokesperson of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reiterated on Wednesday (August 21) the criteria to qualify for the agency’s Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens Program or SocPen. “We would like to reiterate that the SocPen program of the DSWD is for indigent senior citizens who are frail, sickly or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, who is also the agency spokesperson, said. According to the DSWD spokesperson, the SocPen is a program under Republic […]

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian speaks before the members of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives during the budget briefing/hearing of the 2025 proposed budget of the agency on Wednesday (August 21). Majority of the committee members expressed their manifestation of support to Secretary Gatchalian for being able to respond extensively to their queries. The DSWD chief was joined by members of the Department’s executive and management committees,  regional directors of the agency’s 16 Field Offices, and heads of its attached and supervised agencies.#

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday (August 21) assured the public that the agency is ready to help persons in need of assistance even if they do not have referral letters from public officials. “Mayroon kasi tayong policy sa DSWD na lahat ng pupunta sa aming tanggapan, whether may referral o walang referral, basta nangangailangan at tumuntong sa aming tanggapan, tutulungan at tutulungan natin,” the DSWD chief said in an interview with Congress media shortly before the agency’s scheduledbudget deliberation at the House of Representatives. Secretary Gatchalian also responded to the concern raised by […]

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Monday (August 19) reiterated that tampering or repacking of the agency’s family food packs (FFPs) is illegal and constitute a criminal act. Secretary Gatchalian reiterated the warning following reports of repacking incidents that have been circulating in the social media and the actual filing of cases before the Office of the Ombudsman. “The DSWD stands firm that we do not allow repacking. We are looking at the veracity of the complaints received through email, and other complaints that may arise,” Secretary Gatchalian told reporters during a press conference at […]

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian answers questions from reporters on the latest food poor threshold from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) during a press conference on Monday (August 19) at the DSWD Centra Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City. Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that the DSWD also uses non-monetary indicators, aside fromthe monetary index provided by the NEDA, in determining if a family is food poor. The DSWD chief cited that the agency balances the data from the NEDA with social workers’ lens which is through the case management of program beneficiaries. #

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Monday (August 19) that the agency does not only use monetary indicators or numbers in determining whether a family is poor or not. Secretary Gatchalian said in Monday’s press conference that the data which the DSWD gets from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) are being balanced using the social worker’s lens. “Nilinaw naman ng NEDA na ang inilabas nilang food poor threshold ay isa lamang sa mga development indicators na ginamit nila. Sinabi nila na hindi rin naman ito ang gagamiting […]

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Monday (August 19) there is need to revisit the composition of the food basket and its corresponding costs so that the government’s anti-hunger programs can be more responsive to the needs of food-poor families. “Due na rebisitahin yung food basket kung tawagin… it’s been 10 years since last na na-visit yung food basket. Hindi ko pwedeng pangunahan yun kasi trabaho yan ng FNRI (Food and Nutrition Research Institute) at ng DOH (Department of Health), sila yung mga eksperto dyan. Pero kaya naming sabihin na sa sarili naming opinyon, […]

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the agency has prepositioned 6,000 family food packs (FFPs) in the province of Batanes for families that may be affected by tropical storm Dindo. “Right now, binabantayan namin yung Dindo. Bagamat hindi siya magla-landfall, naaapektuhan niya yung Batanes. In the case of Batanes, we have 6,000 FFPs on the ground in Batanes alone,” Secretary Gatchalian said in a press conference on Monday (August 19) at the agency’s New Press Center in Quezon City. The DSWD Secretary also ensured the agency is prepositioning relief items in remote areas. “Kahit tanungin […]

A total of 33 college students have completed their Government Internship Program (GIP), through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Program Management Bureau, and received their certificates of completion on Friday (August 16) at the DSWD Central Office Auditorium in Quezon City. The culminating activity marked the successful completion of the 30-day GIP, which aims to engage the youth in constructive and productive public service in order to deepen their understanding of government programs and projects. PMB Social Welfare Officer III Maribel Barcenas thanked the GIP graduates for their successful internship as they have shown their dedication and […]