With an intention to build the capacities of local government units (LGUs), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the Social Welfare Institutional Development Bureau (SWIDB), in partnership with the Policy Development and Planning Bureau (PDPB), conducted the 2022 Knowledge Fair over an online platform on October 26-27 to equip them with relevant information and innovative strategies along social protection.

With the theme, “Strengthening Mechanisms for Effective Technical Assistance and Social Welfare and Development (SWD) Mainstreaming,” this year’s Knowledge Fair aimed to provide orientation on the guidelines, frameworks, and interventions of the DSWD that support the SWD programs and services of the different Local Social Welfare and Development Offices (LSWDOs) in their local communities.

“This Knowledge Fair aims to provide our participants the knowledge on the dynamics that build the capabilities of the local government units on social protection and orient them on the available technical assistance that can aid their needs as program implementers,” SWIDB Assistant Bureau Director Michael Hilario said, as he delivered the keynote message of DSWD Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo.

The annual knowledge-sharing activity, which was participated in by 708 participants, is part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of program implementers handling social protection packages and social welfare cases.

It was attended by Registered Social Workers (RSW), and non-RSWs from the 16 regions, different LSWDOs, medical institutions, DSWD Central Office and Regional Offices, other government offices/agencies, and the academe.

In addition, the two-day event was intended to equip LSWDO staff with the necessary knowledge to implement various social protection (SP) programs and services through the sharing, and adoption of good practices from selected local governments.

Part of this year’s Knowledge Fair was the awarding ceremony of the Paglaray and KM PRIDE Awards which aimed to recognize the efforts of the DSWD Field Offices and LGUs that implement SWD and SP programs and services for their communities.

Through this Fair, the Department vowed to continue assisting and empowering LGUs in implementing social welfare programs and services. ###