As part of the continuous enhancement of the Oplan Pag-Abot, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) launched on Thursday (January 18) the use of electronic and pocket-sized gadgets as a tool for profiling individuals, children and families in street situations.

DSWD Asst. Secretary for e-Governance and Information Technology Concerns Julius Gorospe said using a tablet-based profiling app is part of the agency’s digital transformation efforts that aim to expedite the overall reach-out operations of Oplan Pag-Abot Teams.

“The roll-out of this e-profiling tool under the Oplan Pag-Abot shows that we, at the DSWD, are committed to leveraging the benefits of technology for a more responsive and efficient service delivery,” said Asst. Sec. Gorospe, who is also the agency’s chief information officer (CIO).

Asst. Sec. Gorospe said social workers who are interviewing individuals and families living and staying on the streets during their profiling activities will now be able to update the client’s information in real-time from a remote location using the enhanced technology.

“This ensures real-time entry of details of profiled and interviewed clients into the Pag-Abot’s database,” the DSWD’s chief information officer pointed out.

Asst. Sec. Gorospe said the e-profiling tool features a geotagging function that enables the Oplan Pag-Abot Teams to easily locate and assist individuals and families in street situations.

“Using the tablet, our social workers can easily get the biometric and scan the fingerprints of the clients,” Asst. Sec. Gorospe said.

The DSWD chief information officer emphasized that profiling activities are done by the social workers before the actual reach-out operations to identify the areas where families and individuals congregate more frequently.

“This tool not only ensures real-time data entry but also enhances our ability to provide timely aid to those in street situations,” Asst. Sec. Gorospe said.

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. #