Personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) who are affected by various forms of disasters are also entitled to receive assistance from the agency.
During the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on August 29, Field Office (FO)-National Capital Region (NCR) Director Michael Joseph Lorico and Field Office-3 (Central Luzon) Regional Director Venus Rebuldela told reporters the agency is not excluding its disaster-affected employees from receiving the same assistance that are provided to the public during emergencies.
“Kasi sinasabi ko po palagi sa ating mga kasamahan, kung ang mga tao sa labas ay natutulungan natin, bakit hindi yung mga kasamahan natin sa loob? We try not to exclude, of course, hindi just because you are an employee of DSWD ay ma-e-exclude ka na because pare-pareho tayong tinamaan,” Director Lorico said.
The NCR regional director said the agency also provides psychological assistance and endorsement for financial assistance to its employees through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
“Doon sa mga naapektuhan, of course, we try to understand the situation… and we provide psychological assistance. Pinapa-assess namin sila sa ating social workers, and kung qualified po silang makatanggap sa ating AICS, ine-endorse rin po namin sila,” Director Lorico said in the media forum at the DSWD Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
During the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina in July, Director Lorico said some of the affected DSWD-NCR employees were provided with medicines and guarantee letters for their hospital bills.
“True enough, during the time of Carina, marami kaming empleyado na naapektuhan din and we are happy to report na natulungan namin sila sa gamot, sa assistance, yung mga kinakailangang ma-ospital ay binigyan din namin ng guarantee letter, yung mga kinailangan ng financial assistance ay in-endorse namin to our partners and to the LGUs baka lang makapasok sila,” Director Lorico pointed out.
Director Lorico was one of the DSWD regional directors who received commendation from the members of the House of Representatives during the DSWD’s 2025 budget hearing last August 21.
“Kami po, hindi po namin inaaway o pinapagalitan yung aming regional director. Bagkus, shout out pa sa kanya, sa aming regional director na si Atty. MJ Lorico at sa kanyang mga kasama, sa napakalaking tulong at mabilis at maayos niyong pagkipag-ugnayan sa aming distrito,” Taguig City-Pateros 1st District Rep. Ricardo Cruz commented during the budget hearing.
For the employees of Field Office-3, Director Rebuldela said they made an inventory of the Carina-affected employees to immediately provide the necessary assistance.
“Sa ngayon po, anim po silang tinutulungan psychologically, of course, dahil po sa effect ng Carina…Kasama rin po dyan ay pwede namin silang bigyan ng assistance based on the assessment ng aming mga social workers. During the time rin po, nakatutok din ang aming human resource kung sino yung mga nagkakasakit dahil, syempre, 24/7 ang aming repacking po during that time,” Director Rebuldela explained.
The typhoon-hit employees, according to the FO-3 regional director, were also provided with medicines and referred to hospitals for check-up and other medical procedures.
The local government units (LGUs) of Central Luzon also supported the DSWD regional office by providing medicines for leptospirosis, vitamin C, and other multivitamins.
Director Rebuldela also received commendation during the agency’s August 21 budget hearing for providing immediate response during disasters.
“To our Secretary Rex Gatchalian, thank you very much for all the assistance and ayuda extended to the 2nd District of Bulacan, including of course our Regional Director. Baka kasi akala ng ating colleague na si Sir Rufus Rodriguez ay siya lang ang may mahusay , mayroon din kami, our Regional Director Venus Rebuldela,” Bulacan 2nd District Rep. Augustina Dominique Pancho said. #