Latest news with #DepartmentofSocialWelfareandDevelopment
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Marcos wants PWDs to have safe access to transportation
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. instructed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to ensure that persons with disabilities have safe access to public transport. ''Ang instruction nga ng Pangulo tulad ng nasabi ko kanina, siguraduhin na may safe na public transport at accessible na public transport para sa ating mga kababayan na may kapansanan,'' DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a Palace press briefing. (The President gave an instruction for the DSWD to ensure safe and accessible public transport for PWDs.) Gatchalian earlier inspected three electric buses intended for persons with disabilities at the DSWD Central Office. The provision of electric vehicles is under the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program's (SLP) Persons with Disabilities – Electric Transportation Service (PWD-ETS) Project. The PWD-ETS is a pilot project that aims to provide livelihood grants to persons with disabilities in SLPAs to purchase electric vehicles that are disability-friendly. The said project will enable the beneficiaries to earn income while helping other persons with disabilities to safely access modes of transportation. Each SLPA is composed of 115 members who are all persons with disabilities from 10 local government units in Metro Manila. Gatchalian said the DSWD would work with the Department of Transportation to scale up this measure. ''The goal talaga is palawakin, palawigin, paramihin not just in Metro Manila but also in the other Metro areas para mas magkaroon ng accessible at safe na space para sa ating mga people with disability,'' he said. (The goal is to widen and extend this not just in Metro Manila but also in the other metro areas to provide accessible and safe space for PWDs.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Health
- GMA Network
DSWD: Around 1.5 million learners to benefit from expanded feeding program
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday said around 1.5 million learners would benefit from the government's expanded feeding program, which will begin in July. ''Para sa 2025, magsisimula na po ang supplemental feeding program. Ang nakalaan na pondo ho diyan ay halos P5.1 billion, kulang-kulang 1.5 million na mga naka-enroll sa mga child development center ang makakatanggap ng araw-araw na pagkain for a 120 days,'' Gatchalian said during a Palace press briefing. (For 2025, the implementation of the supplemental feeding program will start. The allocated fund is worth P5.1 billion, wherein more or less 1.5 million learners enrolled in the child development centers would be given food for 120 days.) ''These are hot meals na pini-prepare sa mga centers mismo or sa mga local government units,'' he added. (These are hot meals being prepared in centers or in local government units.) In implementing the supplemental feeding program, the DSWD earlier said that the children's weight and height are being measured at the start and after the completion of the feeding program and consistently monitored throughout the feeding sessions. The parents of the children are also involved in the preparation of the meals using affordable, nutritious, and indigenous ingredients, according to the DSWD. The program is implemented yearly after it was institutionalized in 2018 by Republic Act No. 11037, also known as the 'Masustansiyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act.' —VAL, GMA Integrated News
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GMA Network
7 days ago
- GMA Network
DSWD to assist PWD mauled by fellow bus passengers on EDSA
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Friday said it is searching for the person with disability who was mauled by fellow bus passengers on EDSA, to extend assistance to him and give him intervention. 'Nakikipag-ugnayan na tayo upang mahanap ang biktima at mabigyan ng kaukulang assistance," DSWD's Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) Director Edwin Morata said. (We are coordinating [with authorities] to find the victim and give the necessary assistance.) Aside from his physical injuries, the PWD also experienced trauma from the incident and needs assistance to process it, he added. "Maliban sa tinamo niyang injury, kakailanganin din ang assistance upang matulungan siyang iprocess ang trauma mula sa pangyayari,' Morata said. On June 9, a PWD reportedly bit passengers inside a Precious Grace Transport bus traveling on the EDSA busway. His fellow passengers then ganged up on him mauled him and allegedly tased him, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said. 'Binugbog, kinuyog 'yung isang kababayan natin na may kapansanan sa loob ng isang bus. Krimen 'yan,' said DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon in a press briefing. (A fellow Filipino with a disability was mauled inside a bus. That's a crime.) In the viral video, the PWD can be heard crying for help after some passengers tried to kick him out of the bus. The DSWD also condemned the incident and said it was inhumane. 'Walang anumang excuse ang ginawa nilang pambubugbog sa nakikita naman nilang person with disability at alam nilang nangangailangan ng unawa. Hindi makatao ang gawaing ganun. Hindi lang isa, tinadyakan, sinusuntok pagkatapos ay inelectrocute pa,' Morata said. (There is no excuse to the mauling against the person they saw who had a disability and needed understanding. What they did was inhumane. Not only did they step on him, they also punched him and electrocuted him.) PWDs are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and are under the stewardship of the State, he added. 'Government is exerting all efforts to ensure that the persons with disability sector is provided with the needed assistance to help protect their rights, welfare, and lead them to development. Violent actions against any member of the sector set us back in achieving our goal of giving them a chance to nation building,' Morata said. 'Hindi pwedeng palagpasin ang ganitong kalupitan, sa person with disability man or sa ibang sektor. Malinaw na abuso ang ginawa nila. Kung may impormasyon kayo ukol sa mga nanakit, ipagbigay alam po sa kapulisan, sa amin, or sa alinmang ahensiya ng gobyerno,' he added. (This kind of cruelty cannot be ignored, whether committed against a PWD or someone from another sector. It is clear that it was abuse. If you have any information about those who hurt him, please let the police, DSWD, or any government agency know.) The DOTr said that the bus driver and the conductor should be held responsible for the situation. Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) suspended their driver's license for 90 days. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board summoned Precious Grace to explain the incident. It also suspended 10 of its units for 30 days. A hearing on the matter has been set for June 25. However, the bus company's lawyer said that the driver and the conductor already took action on the incident. According to the testimony submitted by the driver to the LTO, a passenger reported to him that another passenger was biting people inside the bus. When they reached the Main Avenue station, they immediately reported the incident to the authorities. They sought the assistance of Coast Guard personnel to bring out the PWD passenger. But the authorities failed to do so. The PWD bit another person after the bus was already close to Buendia station, and the incident was reported to the authorities. The driver said that he even told the passengers to stop ganging up on the PWD, but nobody listened to him. 'To my mind, yung driver at saka konduktor, ginawa nila ang responsibilidad nila,' said Alex Verzosa, lawyer for Precious Grace Transport. (To my mind, the driver and conductor fulfilled their responsibilities.) —KG, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
09-06-2025
- Climate
- GMA Network
Over 3,000 families in Bulacan, Zamboanga City affected by Habagat, LPA
More than 3,000 families in Bulacan and in Zamboanga City were affected by the rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat, and the low pressure area (LPA), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Monday. 'More than 8,600 na individuals or equivalent of more than 2,500 na mga pamilya sa 18 barangays sa Bulacan apektado naman ng Habagat at low pressure area [...] And 4,340 na mga individuals or more than 1,200 families in 14 barangays sa Zamboanga City yung naapektuhan ng habagat at low pressure area,' said DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao in Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. (More than 8,600 individuals or equivalent to more than 2,500 families in 18 Bulacan are affected by the Habagat and the low pressure area [...] And 4,340 individuals or more than 1,200 families in 14 barangays in Zamboanga City are also affected.) The DSWD official said t65 houses were damaged: 64 in Zamboanga City and one in Bulacan. Further, the department said it distributed P549,000 worth of food and non-food items to affected families. 'Sa kasalukuyan, yung ating standby funds at stockpile ay nagkakahalaga ng P3.2 billion. Yung family food packs natin ay nasa mahigit 2.9, actually close to 3 million family food packs po 'yan,' said Dumlao. (Currently, our standby funds and stockpile is worth P3.2 billion. The family food packs we have now are 2.9 million or close to 3 million items.) Kanlaon Meanwhile, the DSWD continues to provide assistance to the families affected by the unrest of Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island, with lahar flows being recorded due to the rains. 'Nasa mahigit 2,400 na pamilya or more than 7,800 individuals ay pansamantala naninirahan sa mga evacuation centers sa Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental,' said Dumlao. (More than 2,400 families or more than 7,800 individuals are temporarily seeking shelter in the evacuation centers in Negros Occidental and in Negros Oriental.) The department has provided P185 million worth of assistance to the affected residents. It added that it is also in talks regarding the relocation of the displaced families. 'In terms of other interventions for their recovery, kasama natin ang Task Force Kanlaon sa pagbubuo ng mga programa kasama na diyan yung permanenteng relocation sites…ilan lang po yan sa pinag uusapan sa task force,' she said. (In terms of other interventions for their recovery, we are working with Task Force Kanlaon in creating a program which includes permanent relocation sites.) —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
05-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
House Bill making AICS 'permanent' approved on final reading
The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill making the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) a permanent program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on third and final reading late Wednesday night. This happened as all 176 House members voted yes for the passage of House Bill 11395 on An Act Institutionalizing the AICS Program. House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list, who voted yes with reservations on the measure, said making the AICS program permanent is "necessary" but should not be used by public officials to promote themselves. "We recognize that it is the mandate of the State to provide adequate assistance, social services, projects, and programs geared towards alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life of Filipinos. Sa harap ng hindi maampat-ampat na presyo ng mga bilihin at bayarin, mataas na inflation rate (In the face of unsustainable prices of goods and services, high inflation rate)... The need for an immediate economic relief will always be there," Brosas said. "Hindi natin kinukuwestiyon ang pangangailangan ng mga mamamayan para sa agarang tulong (We do not question the citizens' need for immediate assistance.)... Rather, we are particularly worried about those who are in the position to provide assistance, but takes it as an opportunity to forward their personal and political interests," Brosas added. Brosas said that government policies should not promote political patronage and mendicancy but instead emphasize that government assistance is funded by the taxpayers' money. "As legislators and as public servants, let us be true to our mandate to put forward measures that will alleviate poverty and address the deepening inequality in our country towards genuinely raising the quality of life of Filipinos," Brosas said. Latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that 63% self-rated poverty among Filipinos, the highest in 21 years. The same poll showed that involuntary hunger among Filipino families, on the other hand, doubled to 7.5 million in March 2025 from 2.9 million from June 2022. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
