The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to expand the implementation of its Oplan Pag-Abot across Metro Manila to reach out to more families and individuals in street situations (FISS).

Since its pilot run in July, the Oplan Pag-Abot teams are conducting continuous reach-out operations in the cities of Manila, Pasay, Caloocan, Parañaque, Taguig, and Quezon City, according to Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communication Romel Lopez.

As of September 22, more than 470 individuals were reached out by Pag-Abot teams comprising of 63 unattached children, 213 unattached adults, and 195 members of 63 families in the six Metro Manila cities.

The reached-out individuals and families are referred to DSWD run centers and residential care facilities for temporary shelter, case management, and provision of assistance.

“The operations are being conducted, adhering to the highest standards of care and empathy, to ensure that the rights of the reached out individuals are protected and that other forms of intervention will be provided to them,” Asst. Secretary Lopez, who is also spokesperson of DSWD, said.

The DSWD official also shared that various environmental scanning and profiling activities are currently being undertaken by the team of social workers in other areas in Metro Manila, including the cities of Taguig, Pateros, Pasig, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Malabon, Navotas, and Marikina

“These are preparatory activities before actual reach-out operations that will help the team assess the situation of the families and individuals in a particular area,” Asst. Secretary Lopez pointed out.

The Oplan Pag-abot teams, Asst. Secretary Lopez said, are set to expand their reach-out operations in October to include the cities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, and Makati.

“Additional areas will be covered to maximize the reach and ensure that no vulnerable individual or family in street situations will be left unattended,” Asst. Secretary Lopez said.

The reach-out operations are being conducted by Oplan Pag-Abot teams with the assistance of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), concerned LGUs, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

A priority project of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Oplan Pag-Abot aims to reach out to people living and staying on the streets and provide them with the necessary and appropriate interventions. #