Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Monday (August 19) that the agency does not only use monetary indicators or numbers in determining whether a family is poor or not.
Secretary Gatchalian said in Monday’s press conference that the data which the DSWD gets from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) are being balanced using the social worker’s lens.
“Nilinaw naman ng NEDA na ang inilabas nilang food poor threshold ay isa lamang sa mga development indicators na ginamit nila. Sinabi nila na hindi rin naman ito ang gagamiting batayan para sa mga anti-poverty programs. Sa amin sa DSWD, ang data mula sa NEDA or PSA ay binabalanse naman namin with the social workers’ lens,” Secretary Gatchalian told reporters at the Central Office’s New Press Center.
The DSWD chief said social workers always validate the numbers on the ground and based on social workers’ lens, the agency uses non-monetary indicators such as access to education or access to health.
Secretary Gatchalian cited the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program’s (4Ps) use of this method in determining the level of well-being of program beneficiaries.
“Ang mga social workers natin pumunta isa-isa sa mga program beneficiaries natin across the country. Inalam ang case nila kung ano ba talaga ang nangyayari. Case management is very important. Hindi lang sa datos ay masasabi nating sila ay food poor o hindi. Sa amin pinaparisan namin ito ng case work,” the DSWD chief explained.
Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that social workers also assess the social fabric of a family.
“Inaalam din nila kung may solo parents ba ang pamilya, may persons with disabilities, iyong overall na pamumuhay nila. Hindi lang yung numero na binibigay ng NEDA o PSA ang ginagamit nating batayan para masabi nating mahirap o hindi mahirap ang isang pamilya. Inuulit ko, sinusuri yan ng ating mga social workers,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
Under the 4Ps, program beneficiaries are assessed using the Social Welfare and Development Indicators (SWDI).
Based on the set of indicators in terms of economic sufficiency and social adequacy, 4Ps households are categorized under three levels: level 1-survival, level 2-subsistence, and level 3- self-sufficient. The result of the tool aids the program in identifying interventions needed by the family in order to achieve self-sufficiency.#
