Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Friday (May 30) the agency will make sure that “Rose,” the woman who surfaced from a Makati sewer, is well-guided as she receives her livelihood aid and start her own sari-sari store.
The DSWD chief also clarified that the Php80,000 livelihood aid pledged to Rose will not be given in a snap and will abide by the agency’s standard operating procedure in supporting all reached-out clients.
“In all our case, it’s a gradual monitoring system, hand-holding yan. Ang gagawin ng aming social worker, una bibigyan siya ng paunang tulong— katulad nga raw kagabi, nagsimula na sila bumili ng ibebenta sa tindahan. Then imomonitor natin sila uli. ‘Pag nakita natin na maganda ‘yung takbo, dadagdagan at dadagdagan natin hanggang sa mabuo natin ‘yung 80,000 pesos,” the DSWD chief told reporters in a press conference held in Tondo, Manila last Friday.
DSWD social workers will serve as case managers to closely monitor Rose, ensuring she can maximize all given resources for her sustained development, according to Secretary Gatchalian.
“Lagi naman importante ‘yung case management kung tatawagin, at sa lahat ng Department kami lang ‘yung pwedeng magsabi na kami ‘yung pinakamaraming social workers kasi kami ang Department of social workers. So ang mga social workers ang nagke-case manage on an individual basis [sa mga clients natin],” the DSWD chief pointed out.
Secretary Gatchalian said the decision to allot Php80,000 in livelihood grant for Rose was thoroughly weighed in by the agency.
Upon Rose’s profiling and assessment, social workers recognized she had a strong resolve to better her life with the little resources that she had before.
Rose collects recyclable garbage and sell them for a living, while her partner is a barker. The two used to live in the streets but strived to rent a small bedspace in Makati.
“Nakita ng mga social workers natin na pwedeng maiahon nila yung sarili nila sa lansangan, ibig sabihin meron silang sariling displina kung pano pagkakasyahin ‘yung kanilang kita,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s tall order to escort Filipinos away from the dangers of the streets, the agency will never cease to help people from vulnerable groups like Rose, and help them start anew.
“Simple lang ang utos ng ating Pangulo, siguraduin na may angkop at sapat na tulong sa bawat kaso ng mga kababayan natin in street situations. Ginagawa po natin yan 24/7, 7 days a week, through the social workers of our Pag-abot Program,” the DSWD said.#