DSWD needs public’s help to aid families living on streets
- humanrightspromotion
- Jun 2
- 3 min read
From the Website of PNA NEWS
DSWD needs public’s help to aid families living on streets
MANILA – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex
Gatchalian on Friday appealed to the public to report the places frequented by families and individuals in street situations (FISS) to help “Pag-abot” (Reach out) teams reach out to them.
“Panawagan ko sa mga kababayan natin na nadadaanan ‘yung mga mamamayang nakatira sa lansangan, may Facebook account ‘yung Pag-abot at ang DSWD. Pikyuran nyo kung nasaan y’ung location, i-post nyo para makapunta kami ng team (To the public who pass by people living in the streets, the DSWD and Pag-abot have Facebook accounts. Take a picture of the location so our team can go there),” Gatchalian told reporters in an interview during the reach out operations by the DSWD in Makati City.
“Sa lawak ng Metro Manila, nakita nyo gumagalaw ‘yung mga individuals in streets situations, kailangan namin ng tulong nyo. Tulungan nyo kami sa pamamagitan ng pag-report kung nasaan ang mga pamilya at indibidwal na ito para mapuntahan ng aming mga social workers (Matro Manila is expansive and you can see that individuals in street situations are mobile. We need your help. Help us by reporting where these families and individuals are so that our social workers can reach them),” he added.
The DSWD acknowledged the challenges faced by reach out teams in their operations, as well as in convincing the FISS to go with them voluntarily.
“Since 2023 ang challenge namin is ‘yung iba, na-threaten, akala nila sapilitang dadamputin sila. ‘Yung iba, merong konsepto na mas gusto namin iyong kinagisnan namin kaysa yung inaalok niyo. Mas sanay kami sa ganitong buhay (Since 2023, one of the challenges is that some feel threatened, that they will be forcefully removed from the streets. Others have that concept that ‘we like the life we’ve known than what you are offering. We are used to this kind of existence’),” Gatchalian said.
“Pero hindi kami titigil. Sabi ko nga, may dedicated tayong mga social workers para dito sa programang ito (But we will not give up. Like I said, we have dedicated social workers for this program).”
Meanwhile, Gatchalian said “Rose,” the woman who emerged from a sewer in Makati City’s central business district, has decided to help the DSWD in locating and convincing individuals living in the streets and even in culverts.
After being assisted by the DSWD, Rose went out with the Pag-abot team during the reach out operations to convince other FISS to go with them and receive appropriate interventions.
With Rose’s participation in the reach out, the agency is now trying out a new solution that might work out to strengthen the campaign -- for former individuals in street situations to convince street dwellers that there is a better life waiting for them.
“So, tingnan natin, baka itong ganitong model might work -- na isa sa mga kasamahan nila dati ang magamit namin na kumbinsihin sila (So, let’s see if this model might work – to use one of their numbers to convince them),” Gatchalian said.
He said the agency will continue looking for ways to help FISS in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure that street dwellers are taken cared of at the Pag-abot Center.
“At kami, hindi kami titigil sa utos ng Pangulo, na ipaabot sa kanila ang tulong ng gobyerno, ang kalinga ng DSWD. Personal instruction ito ng ating Pangulo na palawakin ang pagtulong ng DSWD, lalong-lalo na sa mga walang-wala talaga (As directed by the President, we will not stop reaching out and extending government assistance, the DSWD’s care, to them. This is the personal instruction of our President, to expand assistance from the DSWD, especially to the poorest of the poor),” Gatchalian said. (PNA)
PNA NEWS
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