The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) marks the 17th anniversary of the enactment of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA) or Republic Act 9344, as amended, on May 20, 2023, in Pampanga, with the theme, “Patuloy sa Pagsulong ng Pagbabago para sa Batang Pilipino”. 

This year’s celebration will focus on strengthening children participation with the conduct of a policy forum with children and youth. It aims to showcase the milestones in the implementation of the JJWA, increase awareness of beneficiaries, stakeholders, duty-bearers, and the general public on the law and its implementation, particularly on the Juvenile Justice Management Information System (JJ-MIS), Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Program (CLJIP), and protocols, identify means and venues to uphold children and youth participation in JJWA advocacy, and gather policy recommendation relative to strengthening children and youth participation in JJWA advocacy.

“The activity is also seen as a good platform for children and youth to have a sense of involvement in decision-making and participate in the discussions on matters that affect them, particularly on child rights promotion and protection and implementation of the JJWA,” said JJWC Executive Director Atty. Tricia Clare A. Oco.

Among the participants of the activity are residents and social workers from Bahay Pag-Asa (BPA) San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) Pampanga, and JJWC National and Regional Secretariat.

“This forum is a safe space for our children and youth to discuss and share their experiences and perspectives. We at the JJWC are all ears to their opinions and policy recommendations on children and youth participation in JJWA implementation and advocacy,” Atty. Oco emphasized.

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Matagumpay na idinaos ng Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 3 sa ilalim ng Kapit Bisig Laban Sa Kahirapan (KALAHI-CIDSS) ang Groundbreaking Ceremony ng isang unit ng day care center sa Brgy. San Josep, Laur, Nueva Ecija 

Mahigit Php 1,455,085.00 ang nakalaang badyet para sa naturang proyekto. (Php 571,455.33 ang mula sa DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS, Php 845,356.25 mula sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Laur, at Php 38,283.00 mula naman sa lokal na pamahalaan ng barangay San Josep.)

Itinampok sa aktibidad ang pag turnover ng tseke sa komunidad at ang groundbreaking ceremony ng sub-project bilang hudyat ng pagsisimula nito. Dagdag pa dito ang oath-taking ceremony ng mga halal na community volunteers na mamamahala sa pagtatrabaho sa nasabing proyekto.

Dinaluhan ang aktibidad ng Concurrent Regional Program Coordinator (RPC) ng KALAHI-CIDSS Tomasa T. Lirio, at ilang kawani ng ahensya katuwang ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Laur sa pangunguna ni municipal Mayor Atty. Christopher “Tupe” B. Daus. 

Nagpaabot ng mensahe at pasasalamat si Mayor Daus, “Ito [KALAHI-CIDSS Day Care Center] ang magiging model namin. Lahat ng barangay na walang day care center, patatayuan natin ng day care center at lahat centralized. Maraming maraming salamat sa DSWD huwag kayong magsasawa. Kung pwede forever na kayo dito.”

Dagdag ni RPC Lirio, “Sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng pagtutulungan ng bawat isa mapagtatagumpayan po natin ang construction na ito kasi naniniwala kami with our concerted efforts from the Mayor, from LGU to the barangay level, from the community volunteers, and we, the DSWD staff here present, we can really make a difference.”

Ito na ang pangalawang proyektong imprastraktura na handog ng programa sa Munisipalidad ng Laur ngayong taon.

Layunin ng KALAHI-CIDSS na bigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga komunidad na magdesisyon, magplano, at magbigay priyoridad ng mga problema sa barangay. ###

In its continuing efforts to promote and strengthen family unity and relationship, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as Chair of the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF), led the Filipino nation in joining families worldwide to celebrate the International Day of Families (IDF) today, May 15.

This year’s celebration highlights the subtheme: “Pamilyang Pilipino: Pagtugon aa Nagbabagong Pananaw At Panahon,” from the United Nations’ International Day of Families’ Theme: “Families and Demographic Change.”

“We are gathered here today in observance of the International Day of Families. This momentous occasion is a celebration of having strong, resilient and united families amid global issues and ever-changing society,” Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in his video message during the short program to mark the event.

“The DSWD, as the Chair of the NCFF, together with the regional inter-agency committee on Filipino family, will likewise continue to strengthen and promote the family as the foundation of the nation, its basic social institution, as well as the protection of marriage as the foundation of the family,” the DSWD chief pointed out.

The IDF celebration provided an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic, and demographic processes affecting families.

Among the topics discussed during the forum organized by the NCFF were the profile of the Filipino household based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, teenage pregnancy in the Philippines and Continuing Professional Development Programs for Filipino Families.

Recognizing natatanging pamilyang Pilipino

The IDF is also an opportune time to cite model Filipino families to inspire others to also excel and contribute in community-building.

One family that deserves to be on center stage is the Adjaro family, the 2022 winner of the  Natatanging Pamilyang Pilipino (NPP) Award given by the NCFF.

The NPP aims to recognize and award exemplary Filipino families who have significantly contributed towards nation-building and the development of the family as the foundation of Philippine society and to develop a pool of ambassadors in promoting Filipino values.

Both descendants of the Ibaloi Tribe, Mr. Adjaro, a teacher, and Mrs. Martina Adjaro, a midwife, met and married in Baguio City in 1976.  The Adjaro couple raised their six children, namely Mary Anne, Janette, Aileen, Jenny, Johnny Jr., and Janzen, through their hard work as teacher and midwife.

Having a big family has been a challenge for the couple. Mrs. Adjaro had to stop working to attend to the needs of the children and her family.

“Dapat give and take… Di dapat ikaw lang ang nasusunod, kailangan nakikinig ka rin sa asawa mo… Alagaan mo na lang yung mga bata kaya siya na lang ang nag-work, ako naman ang nag-full time sa mga bata. Doon na lang ako nag-midwife” (You have to practice give and take… You shouldn’t be the only one making decisions, you also need to listen to your husband…I take care of the children and he’s the one who works. I just practiced my midwife profession in taking care of my children), Mrs. Adjaro said.

The Adjaro couple also doubled their efforts to send their six children to school by farming, planting highland vegetables, and raising dairy cows, pigs, and other animals, among other jobs.

Mr. Adjaro also helped her children apply for scholarship programs to further support their studies and help the couple with the educational expenses.

“Ang turo ko talaga sa kanila ay ang aking pagiging example bilang magulang. Kasi ang challenge sa akin, ang aking mga magulang, hindi sila interesado sa edukasyon… Papasok sana ako sa seminaryo para sa  high school. Kaso sabi ng parents ko, ‘doon ka na lang sa field’ kasi may rice field kami dyan sa Kennon Road (I taught them my experiences as a parent. Growing up was a challenge for me because my parents were not interested in education. I planned to enter the seminary for high school students. However, my parents said, ‘just work in the field’ because we have a rice field in Kennon Road), “ Mr. Adjaro narrated.

With the Adjaro couple’s guidance and perseverance, all their children have graduated from college and are now professionals.

Active members of the community and church

The Adjaro family is also well-known for their active participation in the community and church.

“Si Sir Adjaro ay matagal ng presidente ng Knights of Columbus and isa siyang officer sa Parish Pastoral Council. Dito sa barangay ay isa siyang Lupon Tagapamayapa. Ever since na umupo kami noong 2008 bilang Kagawad, bago ako nag Punong Barangay, isa siyang member ng Lupon. Lahat ng activities na kailangan namin ang tulong, nandyan sila” (Sir Adjaro has long been the president of the Knights of Columbus and is an officer in the Parish Pastoral Council. Here in the barangay, he is a member of the Lupon Tagapamayapa. Ever since I sat in 2008 as Kagawad, before I became a Barangay Captain, he was a member of the Lupon. Their family is always present whenever the barangay needs help), said Captain Josephine T. Balusdan  of Santo Tomas Proper, Barangay Lower Balacbac.#

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Tuesday (May 16) that the ‘Listahanan’ poverty database program will end this year with the full implementation of Republic Act No.  11315 or the Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Act beginning 2024.

The newly-confirmed DSWD Secretary made this known during the Committee on Appointments (CA) panel meeting, a few hours before Secretary Gatchalian was confirmed by the CA plenary.

“The beauty about next year is the CBMS law that Congress passed.  Listahanan will end its life this year.  We will no longer be creating another Listahanan. So with CBMS being the main driver for a database, LGUS (local government units) will be empowered to make it more responsive,” Secretary Gatchalian said in reply to a question from Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte.

Listahanan is a poverty database, indicating where and who the poor are, which was created by the DSWD as a primary reference for the identification of possible beneficiaries of social protection programs and services.

According to the CBMS Act, the creation of a database will be the responsibility of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).  Compliant to this provision, DSWD will no longer be creating another Listahanan database in support to the full implementation of the CBMS law by 2024.

“Listahanan is not responsive as naging kongkreto na yung bahay, nasa Listashanan pa din. Humirap na yung tao pero wala pa din sa listahan (concrete houses are in the Listahan, while those households which became poor are still not included in the list.),” the DSWD secretary pointed out.

Rep. Villafuerte manifested that the DSWD should carefully study the list of beneficiaries, such as the list of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The Camarines Sur congressman also suggested that DSWD should entrust to LGUs the pay-outs of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) since the Department lacks the manpower.

Secretary Gatchalian agreed and said that the DSWD looks at the LGUs as partners in development.

He added that a MOA for partnership has already been forwarded by the Department for the information of the LGUs.

As DSWD continues to innovate its services and validate program beneficiaries, Secretary Gatchalian assured that the Department will work with the LGUs with due respect to their infrastructures and their knowledge of their constituents.

Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that the LGUs are DSWD’s core partners in development to more efficiently respond to the social welfare and developmental needs of the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized sectors. #

Newly-confirmed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday emphasized that it is high time for the government to increase the budget for the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) to ensure that its goal of addressing hunger and malnutrition in the country is attained.

“Iyong masabi lang na may feeding program pero hindi naman natin pinondohan nang tama, ay nakalulungkot (It is sad to say that we have a feeding program, but we do not fund it properly),” Secretary Gatchalian said in reply to Senator Grace Poe’s query during the deliberation of the CA’s Committee on Labor, Social Welfare, and Migrant Workers.

Secretary Gatchalian called for the support of various stakeholders, particularly of the legislators, saying that “we really need to put the effort in moving that budget to 27 pesos per head or else we are going around the circle or if I may dare say so, that it is going to be wasteful spending.”

Currently, a Php21.00 fund per child enrolled in the Child Development Center (CDC) and Supervised Neighborhood Play was allotted for the implementation of the feeding program.

“We would again push for 27 pesos because iyong 21 is not enough. Parang ang nangyayari lang, nilagyan natin ng pondo para masabi lang na may feeding program tayo (It seems like what’s happening is that we allocated funds just to say that we have a feeding program),” the DSWD chief pointed out.

According to Secretary Gatchalian, a massive survey among the program implementers of the SFP was conducted by the DSWD to determine which among the different modalities of feeding program is the most effective.

The feeding program modalities include a central kitchen, raw goods procurement by DSWD, and local government direct implementation, the DSWD secretary said.

Secretary Gatchalian also mentioned that the DSWD partnered with the Department of Health (DOH), the World Bank (WB) and other concerned agencies to implement the Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Program (PMNP) in an effort to harmonize the delivery of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions to reduce stunting in targeted localities around the country.

“While DOH takes care of the nutrition-specific program, the DSWD takes care of nutrition sensitivity. Meaning, study shows it is not just about feeding them but also about the overall quality of the environment for the first 1000 days,” the Secretary  explained.

For its part, the DSWD will focus on providing and holding community-based nutrition service delivery and multi-sectoral nutrition convergence through the Kapit-Bisig Laban Sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program, including the construction of WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools) facilities and improvement of food security facilities among others.

“It is a community-driven program that says ano ba ang kulang sa iyong maliit na lugar. So these are the poorest LGUs with the highest stunting rates. They have been pre-selected… Sa amin kasi, nutrition-sensitive so meaning wala ka bang wash facilities? Wala ka bang day care center? Things that will aid nutrition” (It is a community-driven program that aims to identify what is lacking in your small area. So these are the poorest local government units (LGUs) with the highest stunting rates. They have been pre-selected… For us, it is nutrition-sensitive, meaning, do you lack wash facilities? Do you lack a daycare center? Things that will support nutrition), the Secretary added.

Among the goals of the PMNP  is to achieve key impacts on the health and nutrition of every Filipino child, as well as to strengthen the LGUs’ capacities in terms of primary healthcare delivery of maternal and child health services. #

More than 1,000 victims of a ‘scam hub’ earlier rescued by the elements of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in Mabalacat, Pampanga are now being assisted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The May 4 rescue operation and implementation of search warrants on the alleged scam hub at the Clark Sun Valley Hub Corporation located at the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Mabalacat, Pampanga was conducted by various law enforcement agencies and members of the IACAT.

Of the 1,048 rescued victim-survivors, 129 were identified as Filipinos while the rest were of foreign nationalities who came from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The victim-survivors were assessed by the social workers of DSWD’s Field Office (FO) III, which covers the Central Luzon region, to determine the necessary assistance needed.

The DSWD, as the co-chair of the IACAT, assisted and provided financial aid to the rescued alleged victims of labor trafficking.

Some 60 Filipino victim-survivors received Php5,000 each through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the DSWD. The remaining Filipino victims are continuously being assessed by the Central Luzon Field Office.

The foreign nationals, on the other hand, were assisted by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), together with the Department of Health (DOH) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The victim-survivors are temporarily billeted at the Tahanan ng Inyong Pag-Asa Center, an IACAT shelter and one-stop-shop for rescued trafficked victims.

The others are under the custody of the Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The victim-survivors, according to the PNP- ACG, are willing to file a formal complaint or to testify against the alleged perpetrators.

The rescued victims were provided with packed meals from May 5 to 7 by the DSWD Field Office III, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office Pampanga and the City Social Welfare and Development Office of  Mabalacat City.

As an active member-agency of IACAT, the DSWD will continue to provide comprehensive service to the victim-survivors to assist them in the recovery and reintegration to society. #

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) are collaborating to scale up efforts in institutionalizing the Anticipatory Action (AA) approach in the Philippines.

In operationalizing the DSWD-FAO collaboration, more than a hundred specialists from a community of AA practitioners will gather for the 6th National Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action in Clark Field, Pampanga on May 11-12.

The 2-day event, which banners the theme “Scaling up, Learning together,” will be attended by participants from national government agencies, humanitarian institutions and development organizations.

The event will also highlight knowledge-sharing sessions and learning activities geared towards the adoption of Anticipatory Action in social assistance programs and social protection systems in the Philippines.

Anticipatory Action is defined as an innovative approach that systematically links early warnings to a set of interventions aimed at protecting families and their assets ahead of a hazard.

“The platform is an opportunity for key actors to assess the country’s AA landscape, identify the challenges as well as areas for improvement in its implementation,” Assistant Secretary Diana Rose S. Cajipe of DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said.

Asst. Secretary Cajipe pointed out that with the sustained interest of development practitioners from various fields including in disaster management and social protection, the platform “should serve to strengthen collaboration among government, civil society, the humanitarian and the development community, to help address food insecurity and disruption of livelihood during times of disasters.”

Significance of Anticipatory Action

In the past 10 years, the strategic shift from responding to anticipating the impact of predictable shocks has been gaining attention globally.

Increased awareness about best practices of AA, such as inter-agency collaboration to facilitate aid coordination, has been influencing countries in Southeast Asia to adopt the approach.

In the Philippines, the FAO has been working with humanitarian and development partners in piloting the approach at the local government level and helping build their capacity.

The FAO has also been closely collaborating with the DSWD in employing AA to help strengthen the government’s social protection systems and policies to proactively reach and support vulnerable populations ahead of forecast shocks.

“Scaling up our efforts is critical to help mitigate the impacts of climate-induced hazards and build resiliency among the most vulnerable. FAO is committed to sustain the momentum with our partners in changing the way disasters are managed using the Anticipatory Action approach in the Philippines, aligned with the various efforts from international and national non-governmental agencies and government partners,” Lionel Dabbadie, FAO Representative in the Philippines, explained.

With the support of the European Union (EU), the national platform  is organized in partnership with the members of the National AA Technical Working Group (TWG) that include the World Food Program; Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC); German Red Cross; START Network; the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); the Department of Budget and Management (DBM); the Office of Civil Defense (OCD); and,  the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The community of practitioners also counts government counterparts from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and local government units (LGUs). #