The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to strengthen its nationwide initiatives under the Pag-abot Program to deliver crucial interventions to vulnerable individuals and families in street situations.

“We want to ensure that those reached out in the provinces are given sustainable interventions to help them start anew. Dito sa ating Pag-abot processing center, mas mararamdaman nila yung kalinga na ating ibinibigay,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, the DSWD spokesperson said on Wednesday (July 15).

Recent operations have yielded significant results in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) where DSWD’s Field Office (FO) – CAR reached-out to families and individuals in street situations (FISS) in Baguio City and provided them with livelihood packages.

Reach out activities are also being conducted in the provinces of Kalinga, Abra, and Mountain Province.

The DSWD’s FO 12 – SOCCSKARGEN also partnered with the local government unit (LGU) of Surallah in South Cotabato to profile individuals in street situations (ISS), facilitating case management and reintegration assistance for those willing to return to their home provinces.

In Davao Occidental, the DSWD FO 11- Davao Region demonstrated its commitment to long-term recovery by providing a tricycle as a livelihood grant to the Lacat family in Malita following their safe return from Manila.

As of the latest report, the Pag-abot Program has successfully profiled 29,689 individuals, reached out 22,597 individuals and reintegrated 20,899 beneficiaries back into their respective communities.

To accommodate the growing number of reached-out individuals, the DSWD currently maintains dedicated processing centers in Pasay City and Liloan in Cebu, with a third facility in San Fernando, Pampanga targeted to open later this year.

“Having our own processing centers is important because this is where we immediately provide safe shelter, medical screening, and basic needs like food and clothing to FISS away from the dangers of the streets,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.

Once admitted to the processing center, social workers initiate comprehensive steps including financial aid, transitory shelter, transportation, livelihood provisions, and psychosocial assistance while locating their relatives.

These nationwide interventions are continuously driven by the Pag-abot Inter-Agency Committee, which focuses on community advocacy and delivering targeted services.

“We are actively strengthening our partnerships with local government units, as well as our efforts in the inter-agency committee to secure commitments from partners, and expanding the skills of our implementers to improve our service delivery,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao emphasized.

Institutionalized by Executive Order No. 52 as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Pag-abot Program delivers unified services and safety nets to protect vulnerable individuals and families in street situations.

The DSWD encourages the public to report sightings of vulnerable individuals or families in street situations through the official DSWD Pag-abot Program Facebook page or by calling the hotline number: 8-931-9141. (KI)