MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported on Thursday that more than 2, 800 individuals in street situations have returned to their homes or places of origin through the agency’s Pag-abot Program.
In a news release, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said this number represents the majority of the individuals in street situations they have assisted since the pilot of the Pag-abot Program last year.
“Based on our November 27 data, out of the 3, 544 individuals we have reached out to, the majority of them, or 2, 938 individuals to be exact, have been reintegrated to their places of origin,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
Under the Pag-abot Program, the agency reaches out to children, families, and individuals under street situations and provides them with a package of social protection services corresponding to their needs.
The ultimate goal is their reintegration into their respective hometowns or places of origin.
Services provided under the program include medical assistance, food support, transportation and relocation aid, livelihood opportunities, transitory family support packages, emergency financial assistance, and transitory shelter assistance, among others.
“It takes a lot of hands on the deck and provision of assistance to escort our kababayans (fellow citizens) out of the dangers of the street. However, there is no better motivation than seeing our efforts come to fruition as we collaborate closely with our partner agencies and local government units (LGUs) in implementing our program,” Dumlao said.
She cited the case of Catherine Ubina and her common-law partner, Mark Arman Santiago, who were successfully reintegrated into their place of origin in Cagayan Valley, after years of living in the streets of Metro Manila.
After her job application abroad was rejected, Catherine decided to live in the streets and just supported her situation by earning income from scavenging and begging.
In September 2024, social workers of the Pag-abot Program contacted the couple in the City of Manila and brought them to the program’s Processing Center in Pasay City.
Sheltered in the Pag-abot Processing Center, the couple received basic support for their daily needs and financial assistance before their reintegration in Cagayan province last November 5.
According to the DSWD, the couple is now residing in the house of Catherine’s mother in Barangay Annafunan East in Tuguegarao City where they started a small business selling barbecue and other products.
The family will continue receiving support as needed while being jointly monitored by the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) of Annafunan East to ensure their successful reintegration into the community, Dumlao said.
She assured that like Catherine, individuals and families assisted by the Pag-Abot Program receive comprehensive government support to help them rebuild their lives.
“Our efforts to lead our reached-out families and individuals into safety do not end with escorting them back to their communities. We are also converging with the members of the Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) to ensure that they have a comfortable life. We wouldn’t want them to return to the dangers of the streets,” Dumlao said.
The institutionalization of the Pag-abot Program through Executive Order (EO) No. 52 issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in January this year led to the creation of the Inter-Agency Committee (IAC), with the DSWD as chair and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as the vice chair.
The IAC aims to improve and unify the delivery of services to vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals in street situations by providing social safety nets.
The IAC is responsible for engaging and consulting with LGUs and other government agencies in formulating policies and implementing programs. It must coordinate and seek support from the private sector, relevant stakeholders, advocacy groups, and non-governmental organizations. (PNA)