Latest news with #DSWD
GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Amendments to 4Ps law will let beneficiaries stay more than 7 years — DSWD
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that amendments to the 4Ps program would allow beneficiaries to stay in the program as long as they needed to. During the Post-SONA discussion on Tuesday, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian shared that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s call to amend the 4Ps law would allow those in the program to stay longer than seven years. Gatchalian noted this as a welcome development, as two million Filipinos were about to exit the program in 2026 for reaching the maximum number of years in the program. 'Itong programa na ito namumuhunan tayo sa taong bayan, namumuhunan tayo sa Pilipino. This is an investment in human capital. Kumbaga hindi pa tapos yung ating pamumuhunan, kailangan siguraduhin natin na hindi masayang 'yung investment natin,' he said. (This program invests in the public and Filipinos. This is an investment on human capital. Our investments are not yet over, so we need to ensure that what we have poured in would not be wasted.) Gatchalian noted that the length of a beneficiary's stay in the program should depend on their state and quality of life, and if they would be able to support themselves after graduating from the program. 'Tinignan ng Pangulo yung kapakanan nila at yung estado nila sa buhay rather than yung pipilitin natin na alis sila sa programa, masasayang ang pamumuhunan natin sa kanila at masasayang yung programa sa whole,' he shared. (The President is considering their welfare and state of life rather than forcing them to leave the program, and it would be a waste of our investment on them and the program as a whole.) 'Kailan tignan natin yung estado ng pamilya: Kaya na ba talaga nilang tumayo sa kanilang sariling paa? Yung mga anak ba nila, nakatapos na?' he added. (We need to look at the state of the family: Can they now stand on their own? Have their kids been able to finish their studies?) The DSWD Secretary shared that 1.4 million Filipinos have already graduated from the 4Ps program since it began in 2022. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
SONA 2025: Marcos eyes expanding 'Walang Gutom' program to reach 750K homes
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA 2025) on Monday said that the government aims to help around 600,000 people in the government's Walang Gutom program. "Sa ikalawang taon ng ating Walang Gutom program, mabibigyan ng tulong ang anim na raang libong pinakanangangailangang kabahayan sa kanilang nutrisyon," said Marcos in his speech. (In the second year of our Walang Gutom program, six hundred thousand of the neediest households will be provided with nutritional assistance.) "At sa 2027, dadamihan pa natin sa pitong daan at limampung libong kabahayan ang maaabot ng feeding program natin," Marcos added. (And by 2027, we will increase the number of households reached by our feeding program to seven hundred and fifty thousand.) The President also said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education are also working to push the government's nutrition program in schools and day care centers. "Ipinagpapatuloy ng DSWD at ng DepEd ang feeding program nila para sa mga daycare center at pampublikong paaralan, na nakapagbigay ng masustansyang pagkain at gatas sa mahigit tatlo't kalahating milyong mag-aaral sa buong bansa," said Marcos. (DSWD and DepEd continue their feeding program for daycare centers and public schools, which has provided nutritious food and milk to more than three and a half million students nationwide.) "Kung papalawigin pa natin ang mga programang ito, sa susunod na taon, sa tulong ng karagdagang isang bilyong pisong pondo, pararamihin pa ng DSWD ang bilang ng mga batang mabibigyan ng masustansyang pagkain," added Marcos. (If we extend these programs next year, with the help of an additional one billion pesos in funding, the DSWD will further increase the number of children who will be provided with nutritious food," added Marcos.) —VAL, GMA Integrated
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
SONA 2025: Marcos orders inclusion of homeless in 4Ps
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his State of the Nation Address (SONA 2025) on Monday directed the inclusion of homeless individuals in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 'Batid nating lahat ang mga kababayan natin na namumuhay sa lansangan. Sila ang pinaka-nangangailangan ng tulong ng pamahalaan,' Marcos said during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA). (We think of our fellow countrymen who are living in the streets. They are the ones in most need of help.) 'Sa ating mga LGU (local government units), hanapin ninyong lahat at ipasok silang lahat sa 4Ps at sa iba pang mga programa ng DSWD. Para naman maitaguyod natin sila at magsimula na ang kanilang paglakbay tungo sa pag-unlad ng kanilang buhay,' he added. (To our LGUs, look for them and include them in the 4Ps and other programs of the DSWD. So, we can help them back on their feet and they can start their journey in improving their lives.) He said that under his administration, more than 5 million families were beneficiaries of the conditional cash grant of the 4Ps. The 4Ps serves as a national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfers to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve the health, nutrition, and education of children aged 0 to 18. Meanwhile, he said that the lives of 500,000 families improved under the program. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Filipino Times
DSWD to offer social, livelihood support at OFW Serbisyo Caravan in Dubai
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide access to its key programs and services to overseas Filipinos during the Bagong Bayani: OFW Serbisyo Caravan at the Dubai World Trade Centre on August 3. Among the services is the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, a protective program that offers financial aid for urgent needs like medical treatment, funeral expenses, transportation, education, food, or other support for individuals and families in difficult situations. The DSWD will also highlight the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), which provides training and assistance for low-income or vulnerable individuals who want to earn a sustainable income. The program includes two tracks: Micro-enterprise Development, for those starting small businesses, and Employment Facilitation, for those ready to enter the workforce. Solo parents may inquire about benefits under the Expanded Solo Parents' Welfare Act, which now covers those with children up to 22 years old. The law provides additional support and protection for solo parents through broader coverage and services. The agency will also assist with travel clearance applications for Filipino minors traveling abroad without parents or legal guardians and offer reintegration support for trafficking survivors through a multi-sectoral approach that meets their psychological, social, and economic needs.
Filipino Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- Filipino Times
DSWD pushes for resilient, climate-ready communities
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is aiming to shift its focus from reactive disaster response to proactive investments in climate-resilient communities. In a speech during the 37th National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM) celebration at the DSWD central office in Quezon City, Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized the need to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable communities amid the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters caused by climate change. 'Tayo sa DSWD, we are known for disaster response, but our promise in the next couple of days, or in the next couple of months, or in the next couple of years is to invest in resilient communities,' he added. He said the agency would allocate funds to capacitate poor, vulnerable, and marginalized sectors to help them adapt to the 'new normal.' Gatchalian highlighted programs such as Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and Project BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished), which combine agricultural development and climate adaptation. These initiatives include a cash-for-training/work component that offers temporary employment while providing practical training in gardening, water harvesting, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation. The DSWD chief also expressed gratitude to disaster responders and local government units (LGUs) for their coordinated efforts during recent calamities. 'To all DSWD personnel and LGUs, thank you for the swift and coordinated disaster response in the past 12 days,' he said.
