The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is strengthening its efforts to help families and individuals in street situations (FISS) return to their homes or places of origin and to their communities through the Pag-abot Program.
Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized on Tuesday (July 29) that the Pag-abot Program follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s directive to expand the DSWD’s reach and ensure that the most vulnerable are covered by social protection programs.
In his 4th SONA on Monday (July 28), the Chief Executive said of families and individuals in street situations: “Batid nating lahat ang mga kababayan natin na namumuhay sa lansangan, sila ang pinaka-nangangailangan ng tulong ng pamahalaan.”
President Marcos even urged the local government units (LGUs) to look for these families and register them in the different programs of the DSWD.
“Sa ating mga LGUs, hanapin ninyong lahat… ipasok sa iba pang mga program ng DSWD. Para naman maitaguyod natin sila at magsimula na ang kanilang paglakbay tungo sa pag-unlad ng kanilang buhay,” the President said.
This was re-echoed by Secretary Gatchalian during the ‘Post-SONA Discussions on Health and Social Welfare Protection’ held at the Makabagong San Juan National Government Center in San Juan City on Tuesday.
“Kung mayroon tayong matatawag na mahirap sa pinakamahirap, yun yung mga families and individuals in street situations. Sila yung mga nakatira sa lansangan,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
The DSWD chief explained that more than 100 Pag-abot social workers are regularly deployed in the cities of Metro Manila, checking streets, overpasses, underpasses, and even areas under bridges where the FISS are commonly found.
“Kinukupkop natin, kinukumbinse na sumama sa amin para panandaliang tumira sa ating shelter,” the DSWD chief said, referring to the converted facility that was once a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub, now functioning as Walang Gutom Kitchen and temporary shelter for the reached out FISS.
Secretary Gatchalian pointed out that the shelter located at the Nasdake Building in Pasay City is not a permanent home as the goal of the Pag-abot Program is to reintegrate the reached out FISS to their families and communities.
“Ang layunin natin ay maiuwi sila sa kanilang mga komunidad pero may sapat na interbensyon—kabuhayan o ano pang interbensyon na kailangan nila—para mag thrive sila at hindi na kailangang mapilitan pa na tumira sa lansangan,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
Secretary Gatchalian also pointed out that under the Pag-abot Program, the national government is taking a more active role.
“Kung dati-rati, local government units ang nasa harapan sa pagtulong… ngayon ay national government na ang nakikipag-ugnayan sa LGUs,” the DSWD Secretary said, noting that the Marcos administration is the first to institutionalize such a program at the national level.
Through the whole-of-government approach, Secretary Gatchalian said the DSWD aims to ensure that “walang Pilipinong maiiwanan, lalong-lalo na yung mga nasa lansangan.”
The Pag-abot Program, which was started by the DSWD in 2023, was institutionalized through Executive Order (EO) No. 52 in January 2024.( YADP)