Roi Anthoni B. Lomotan
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 19 (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD-7) conducted a “Kaya Ko ang Pagbabago” Awareness Walk in
Dumaguete City today to further raise the public’s consciousness on DSWD’s core
programs and services.
The walk started at 6:30 a.m. with over 200 individuals
composed of beneficiaries of DSWD programs, DSWD officers, representatives of
Foundation University and the city government of Dumaguete.
The assembly and finish line of the awareness walk was at the
Quezon Park. Participants paraded along Rizal Boulevard and downtown area of
Dumaguete City.
Participants were divided into groups that carried banners that
highlight DSWD’s core programs and projects namely the Pantawid Pamilya
Pilipino Program (4Ps), Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and
Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), Sustainable Livelihood
Program (SLP) and national household targeting system for poverty reduction
or Listahanan.
“But we also want to inform the public that DSWD has other
programs apart from these,” DSWD-7 deputy regional director Shallaine Marie
Lucero said in an interview after the event.
Lucero disclosed that DSWD also has this financial aid for
individuals in crisis situation program. She explained this can be used for
educational and medical needs as well as burial assistance.
Another program of the department is the Social Pension Program
for Senior Citizens in which DSWD provides P500 pension to indigent, frail or
disabled senior citizens.
Every month, a beneficiary is entitled with P500 cash grant but
the pay out for this grants is every three months, therefore, a beneficiary can
get P1,500 from DSWD.
Aside from these, DSWD remains active in conducting supplemental
feeding to children at day care centers.
Meanwhile, Lucero explained the Awareness Walk is a nationwide
campaign of DSWD and is carried out by its regional offices but in different
dates. It aims to create more public awareness on the department’s
social programs, projects and services.
The event culminated with a short program at Quezon Park where
Dumaguete City Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling Sr. and Department of
Education-Negros Oriental Division chief Salustiano Jimenez expressed their
continued support of DSWD’s interventions in the city and the province.
The final part of the program is the ceremonial turnover of
pension to seven senior citizen residents of Dumaguete City who are
beneficiaries of the Social Pension Program. (mbcn/ral/PIA7-Negros Oriental)