The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the City Government of Zamboanga honored the heroes of the devastating Zamboanga siege on its 6th-year commemoration on September 9, 2019 at City Grounds, Zamboanga City.

The commemoration activity entitled A Special Day of Remembrance was conducted to pay tribute to the fallen heroes who fought for security, for their comrades, for the civilians who were used as human shields, and for the city; for the civilians who lost their lives protecting their families, friends, homes, neighbors, and the innocent children against violence and greed of the misguided few.

DSWD’s Undersecretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development, Danilo G. Pamonag graced the event as the keynote speaker where he also led the wreath-laying ceremony together with the Zamboanga City Mayor, Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar at the memorial marker on Rizal Street. It was also attended by DSWD Field Office 9 Regional Director Nestor B. Ramos, and other local and national agency representatives.

Prior to his role in the DSWD, Usec. Pamonag served in the military as Commander of the AFP Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG), the country’s top-tier counter-terrorist unit, when the 2013 Zamboanga Siege broke out.

“Do you know the difference between Zamboanga and Marawi? Why were we able to defeat the enemy in 21 days compared to Marawi Siege? In Zamboanga, you have your government led by your Mayor Beng Climaco that looked after the displaced families. So our [military] attention was focused only on attacking and apprehending the rebels. And it helped a lot,” Usec. Pamonag said during his speech yesterday.

It can be recalled that the invasion of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in 2013 has affected 14 barangays in the city and displaced more than 18,110 families with 78,747 individuals who temporarily took refuge in the 66 evacuation centers. A total of 510,119,723.08 worth of assistance were provided by the DSWD during emergency, early recovery and rehabilitation phase of the disaster operations.

The DSWD also provided augmentation support amounting to Php. 58,663,500.00 (an amount transferred by the NHA) to continuously implement programs for the Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) until the eventual transfer of all affected families to their permanent shelters/homes.

As per status report submitted by the City Social Welfare and Development Office as of May 08, 2018, out of the total target of 5,587 IDP families, only 4,415 or 79% initially availed of the financial assistance with a total grant utilized amounting to Php. 43,898,000.00. The remaining unutilized funds are in the possession of the department where schedule of payout depends on the submission of master list from Housing and Land Management Division (HLMD). DSWD is tasked to provide and validate the list of IDPs in permanent shelters with an assistance amounting of Php. 10,000.00 per family.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is currently preparing for the second nationwide social welfare assessment among beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, better known as 4Ps.

This is to determine the level of well-being of the beneficiaries after a decade of interventions thru the program implementation. The Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) administration will determine whether a family beneficiary is still in the survival, subsistence, or self-sufficient state.

Survival is defined as the condition where there is lack of inner and external resources which make households unable to resolve problems and survive in a daily basis. Subsistence is a condition that opens some resources and alternatives to the beneficiaries to surpass basic daily needs, while Self-sufficiency means the households already have other sources of income and can already stand without interventions from the government. 

“Kailangan nating malaman kung ano na ang kalagayan ng ating mga beneficiaries at kung anong tamang intervention ang pwede pang ibigay sa kanila para maging self-sufficient. (We need to know the state of well-being of our beneficiaries and determine appropriate interventions for them to reach self-sufficiency),” Regional Program Coordinator, Ms. Flordeliza A. Atuy said during the orientation with program staff in Region 9. 

Other than determining the level of well-being of the beneficiaries, the SWDI is also a tool that will help the Department identify the needs and capabilities of the partner-beneficiaries to be able to provide interventions for the improvement of their lives not just from the DSWD but from the other social service providers as well.

The Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) of the Pantawid Pamilya currently conducts orientation and information dissemination for awareness about the upcoming household assessment.

The first SWDI administration, which was conducted in 2015, revealed that among the (then) 279,212 household beneficiaries, 229,375 or 82% of the total 4Ps household population in region 9 have improved condition of life since their enrollment to the program.

Pantawid Pamilya targets to administer the SWDI tool to 312,000 active beneficiaries both from the Regular Conditional Cash Transfer Program (RCCT) and the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer Program (MCCT) in region 9.

The total budget for the administration in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula is 19 million which covers expenses on orientation, hiring of enumerators, encoders, and other operational expenses. The DSWD field office IX has requested for an additional of 5 million pesos for augmentation.

The SWDI administration is targeted to be conducted for 3 months starting end of September to December this year.

Pantawid Pamilya is a social protection program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 0-18 and pregnant women. Program beneficiaries receive cash grants as they comply with the program conditions applicable to their households. The conditions are: pregnant women must avail pre and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by a trained health professional; parents must attend Family Development Sessions (FDS); 0-5 years old children must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines; 6-14 years old children must receive deworming pills twice a year; and children beneficiaries (0-18 years old) must enroll in school and maintain a class attendance of at least 85% per month. As of May 2018, there are 4.39 million active households in the program nationwide.

It is often said that the fruit does not fall far from the tree. Bines family may be a living epitome of this saying. Spreading the seed of goodness to the community stems from the foundation that the family nurtures.

Both parents, Rolando Bines and Analyn Labang, believe that whatever they do today will be reflected by their children in the future hence they make sure that they become models of good values to their children.

They believe that the best fruit of success that they will reap in the future is when they will see their children being of service to people other than themselves. That is why as early as now, they show their children what kindness truly means and how this is important to realize their purpose in life.

BACKSTORY

In a small, remote town in the southern part of Mindanao is a 4^th-class municipality where the locals seem to share hospitality and generosity towards each other. The people of Barangay Tandubuay in the Municipality of San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur, could attest to the kindness and the brand of legacy of the Bines family.

Rolando, 47, is described as a “Jack of all Trade” as his does almost, if not all, tasks that require specific skills in the household. He does plumbing, carpentry, masonry, welding, and a few more others.

Despite him being color blind, he sees to it that his family’s life is always full of colors.

His wife, Analyn, 42, on the other hand, is expert in handling household concerns such as taking care of their children, managing their finances, and ensuring the family’s health, among others.

Blessed with three children, the couple strives to provide the needs of their children be it in health and/or in education. Ron Kennoly, 16, is now in Grade 11; Christine Jan, 14, is in Grade 9 and both are studying at San Pablo National High School; while the youngest of the siblings, Beethoven, 12, is currently in Grade 12 at Tandubuay National High School.

Despite having experienced hardships that are brought about by poverty, Bines family never lost their faith both in God and in the hope that one day, they will live a comfortable life that they can share not just within their family but with other families in the community as well.

In 2009, a blessing knocked onto their door as they were included in the (then newly-established) conditional cash transfer program of the national government known as the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program.

They consider it as a big blessing in their family as it helped them discover several other things that they can do with their potential.

KASAKIT (GRIEF) GROUP

Despite having so little in life, Bines family never forgets to help their community in ways they can.

In 2015, Rolando Bines created a support group within their Purok called the Kasakit, a local term which means grief. The Kasakit aims to assuage the burden of the poor, grieving families who have lost a loved one. This support group offers assistance to the bereaved family by providing free labor for the coffin of the deceased.

As a carpenter, Rolando offers his skills and service to make coffins for those who cannot afford to buy one.

“Di na ko mangubra sa ilaha. Gamay nga ikatabang na lang to kay di man ko makahatag og kwarta, (I won’t charge [for my service]. It’s a small help since I could not afford to give them money,” Rolando said in a phone interview.

When asked about the reason why Rolando started this initiative, Analyn said that his husband has always been passionate about helping other people and that he wants to show to his children that they can be of help even if they have less.  

The public saw the positive effect of the help that the Kasakit Group has initiated not just for the bereaved family but for the entire community. The families that they have helped were relieved of additional weight while the community has found hope and faith in humanity.

The practice of the KASAKIT Group has now been replicated by other Puroks in the barangay and it is now adopted by the Barangay Local Government Unit of Tandubuay as one of their best practices.

VIOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Because of their selfless contributions and harmonious relationship with their neighbors, the people of Tandubuay have entrusted the Bines Family with important roles and duties to play in the barangay.

Rolando has become part of the BADAC or the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Committee that enables a drug-free community by helping those who have been victims of the influence of illegal drugs.

In their Purok, Rolando is assigned to talk to the victims for possible surrender and rehabilitation. As of today, Rolando was able to convince 58 surrenderees and their lives have changed since then.

Determined to turn their situation around, Rolando is also hands-on in helping the surrenderees in their community services and activities.

Other than that, he also had contributed in the establishment of several developmental facilities in their barangay such as the Day Care Center, bridge, community chapel, and the ongoing project, a 3-unit classroom for children.

These are on top of his other community services as PTCA President in school, as commentator in church and leader of the Ginagmay Simbahanong Katilingban (GSK) together with his wife, Analyn.

Analyn, on the other hand, was appointed as Barangay Health Worker (BHW) last February 2018.

The Barangay Chairman of Tandubuay, Hon. Lonita M. Largo, said that she saw how responsible Analyn is in handling given tasks. In fact, surprisingly, she has surpassed the number of members and clients served compared to the previous BHWs.

“Maaasahan mo talaga siya sa mga gawain. May hawak siya ngayong 30 households. Yun yung tinutulungan niya in terms sa health ng constituents namin, [She is really trustworthy. She currently handles 30 households which she helps in their health concerns,]” said Hon. Largo.

Analyn monitors the weight and health of the children in their barangay including health of pregnant women. She is also in charge of ensuring the health maintenance of the Senior Citizens.

These deeds of the couple are truly remarkable and exemplary thus making them the powerhouse couple of Barangay Tandubuay.

KUNG ANO ANG PUNO AY SIYA RING BUNGA (A TREE WILL BEAR A FRUIT OF ITS KIND)

The passion and compassion of the parents is now being shared by the entire family. As young as they are, the children also start to show manifestations of being kind-hearted to their neighbors.

Ron Kennoly, the eldest, is part of a group called the People’s Youth Association (PYA), a group of young individuals who share common desire to give back to the community by doing activities that would keep teenagers from trouble.

As the leader of the PYA, Ron Kennoly conducts meetings amongst the members after their Sunday church service. He facilitates bible-sharing and helps in planning activities for youth like him.

Christine Jan, the female child, is currently attending seminar as altar server. This way, their chapel will no longer need for altar servers from outside their barangay.

Her involvement in the church inspires many girls her age to become active as well in the community to avoid the rampant concern on teenage pregnancy.

Beethoven, the youngest of the three children, is a classroom President. He monitors his classmates on their tasks in school and helps them accomplish their tasks.

He says that he plans to be a lawyer someday so that he can help poor families fight for their rights.

The three Bines children are motivated by the examples that they see from their parents. The foundation that they have right now is based on the personal values that Rolando and Analyn have instilled in them.

WINNING MOMENT

Last July 31, Bines Family was awarded as the champion of the regional search for Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya in Zamboanga Peninsula. They will serve as ambassadors of the program gains brought about by the interventions of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

On September 29, they will be invited to Manila to receive a national recognition from the DSWD for being an exemplary family despite the struggles and poverty that they face. This is also one way of the department to highlight the stories of change of many Filipino whose lives have changed because of the collaborative efforts of the government programs.

The Home for Elderly of the Department of Social Welfare and Development on Monday, August 19, 2019 celebrated its 30^th year anniversary as a residential facility for the aged.

Established on August 15, 1989 in partnership with Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, the Home for the Elderly is a regional facility operated by DSWD Field Office IX which provides temporary shelter and care to dependent, needy, neglected, homeless, unattached and abandoned Filipino Senior Citizens 60 years and above with no contagious disease.

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The center aims to provide clients with residential care to enable them to lead normally and live life decently through provision of rehabilitative programs and services that are geared towards the maintenance of their physical, social and psychological functioning.

Following the Anniversary Mass presided by Rev.Fr.Jonathan Berdejo was the formal Inauguration and blessing of the completed CRCF construction, repair and upgrading projects. Two of the major highlights were the construction of the Multi-Purpose and Wellness Center with Infirmary Clinic and Aqua Therapeutic Building worth 3,336,805.82 and 2,305,000.00, respectively.

The inauguration was led by Undersecretary for Special Concerns Camilo Gudmalin, DSWD Regional Director Nestor B. Ramos and Assistant Regional Director for Operations Fatima S. Caminan.

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DSWD Regional Director Nestor B. Ramos formally welcomed all the guests, staff and clients present during the affair. “I would like to welcome everyone in this significant occasion as we celebrate the 30strong years of the Home for the Elderly. I would like to recognize and thank the members of Secular Order for Discalced Carmelites who started the humble beginnings of this center. You are indeed part and parcel of this milestone.”, Director Ramos said.

In his message, guest speaker USec. Gudmalin shared the CRCF journey which made these developments and improvements into reality. He also mentioned how important it is to provide decent and comfortable stay for our clients after assessing the real situation of the 71 facilities nationwide.

“I would like to share three important things you need to remember for a successful project implementation, these are: Unity of Vision, Solidarity of Purpose and Teamwork in Action”, Usec. Gudmalin said.

He also underscored the department’s core value on “Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo” as reminder to our goal for the clients and also recognized the workers who painstakingly worked hard together for the realization of the projects through the leadership and monitoring of DSWD Regional Project Management Team.

DSWD Region IX was allocated with 126 Million Budget in 2017 to pursue the construction of the different CRCF projects in all seven centers in the region.

Apart from the major construction, Home for the elderly also underwent major upgrades and repairs on the following: Upgrading of Mess Hall (Php 1,325,494.25); Upgrading of Resident’s Quarters (Php 1,754,509.25) ; Repair of Houseparent’s Quarters (Php 121,000) ; Repair of Administrative Building (Php 339,500) ; Repair of Laundry and Linen Area (479,443.38) and Repair of Powerhouse (Php 143,000).

Center Head Georgina Suico expressed her gratitude for all the support extended and for the gift of the developments in their facility. She committed to take good care of these projects and utilize it to help improve the well-being of the elders who are staying in the center.

“This affair is not the end but just the beginning of a dream come true. Continue to pray for us here so we will be blessed with strength to embrace our mission effectively for our dear clients”, Mrs. Suico added.

To date, the Home for the Elderly caters 51 total clients where 21 are male and 30 are female, respectively. ##

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Office IX will be sending Seven Community Volunteers to the 3^rd National Community Volunteers’ Congress cum 5^th Bayani Ka Awards on August 12-16, 2019 to be held in CARAGA.

This year’s National CV Congress will be anchored on the theme “PADAYON, Kalahi-CIDSS” which will see exemplary Volunteers all over the country gather for the 3^rd time to celebrate the gains of the program in the spirit of Volunteerism.

The activity will also serve as venue to exchange experiences and learning from the program implementation of not just the Community Volunteers but as well as some partner Municipal and Barangay Local Government Unit representatives.

The same manner, this activity aims to steer support from the participating stakeholders in pushing for the program’s institutionalization.

The seven Volunteers who will represent the region were chosen on the basis of their active participation as proud members of the community who supports developmental programs and project for the community throughout the region through CDD. They are the following: Susan Trazuna form Olutanga Zamboanga Sibugay, Teodora Apawon and Anecito Padayao Sr from Sindangan Zamboanga del Norte, Adelaida M. Abitona from Polanco Zamboanga del Norte,  Jenelyn Brillo from Pres. Manuel Roxas Zamboanga del Norte, Ifur Ronne from Rizal Zamboanga del Norte and Dorothea Dagalea from Siay Zamboanga Sibugay. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Field Office 9 is now accepting applications for the 608 newly posted vacancies in preparation for the upcoming third round of Listahanan assessment to be conducted in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, this year.

Specifically, 40 area coordinators, 98 area supervisors, and 490 enumerators will be hired to conduct house-to-house interviews throughout these provinces under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

A total of 352,894 households will be assessed in the region with Sulu having the biggest number of target at 193,826 households, followed by Basilan (81,386) and Tawi-Tawi (77,862).

All applicants are advised to submit their documents in four (4) folders to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) of their respective province to include their letter of intent addressed to the Regional Director – Nestor B. Ramos, Personal Data Sheet (PDS), and photocopies of their Transcript of Records (TOR) and other credentials (if any).

The deadline for submission in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi will be on August 19, 2019, while applicants in Sulu may still submit their documentary requirements until August 7, 2019. Furthermore, all screened and qualified applicants will have to undergo an IQ exam, essay exam, and a panel interview.

Under the Executive Order No. 867 series of 2010, the assessment is conducted every four years to obtain the latest data on the demographic, socio-economic, and sectoral characteristics of poor households nationwide. The Listahanan database provides a reliable source of information of “who and where” the poor are which can be used by social protection stakeholders in identifying potential beneficiaries of their respective programs and services, which will address the different dimensions of poverty in the long run.

For more information regarding the vacancies, visit us at https://fo9.dswd.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Listahan3_ARMM.pdf or see the infographics below:

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The DSWD Field Office 9 is set to conduct the third round of Listahanan assessment later this year with 724,021 target households for Zamboanga Peninsula.

1,246 field workers who will be comprised of 40 Area Coordinators (AC), 201 Area Supervisors (AS), and 1,006 Enumerators will be deployed throughout the region.

The AC shall serve as the key focal person of the field office through the National household Targeting Unit (NHTU) in a designated regional area. With five supervisors under his/her direction, s/he shall be reporting directly. On the other hand, the AS shall assist the AC in the implementation of the project. With five enumerators under his/her direction, s/he will be reporting directly to the AC. Meanwhile, the enumerators will be the key persons who will be conducting the house-to-house assessment. The field workers are expected to maintain the confidentiality of all documents, information, and other matters related to the Listahanan.

Moreover, a total of 724,021 households will be covered by the assessment in the region. Among the target, 209,475 will be assessed in Zamboanga del Sur, 209,433 in Zamboanga del Norte, and 125,812 in Zamboanga Sibugay. In Zamboanga City, 156,955 households will be part of the assessment while 22,346 households will be interviewed in Isabela City.

The Listahanan is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are nationwide. It aims to establish a socio-economic database of poor households to serve as a reference in the formulation of programs and policies along with social protection. ###

The DSWD Field Office 9 attended the Community-Based Dialogue (CBD) conducted by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) which tackled issues on barangay settlement and referral system under the Republic Act No. 9262 or the “Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act of 2004” held on June 25 at Primera Hotel, Zamboanga City.

“Through the dialogue, we were able to discuss the role of the barangay in handling reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation,” said Rowena Eustaquio, Regional Focal for Women, Children, and Family.

According to her, the barangay is mandated to designate a gender-sensitive worker (kagawad or tanod) to be in charge of the barangay help desk that will receive and monitor VAWC cases and shall refer victims to the appropriate agency for the right intervention.

The worker in the help desk must enter reports in the barangay blotter for child abuse and domestic violence cases where this shall be kept confidential at all times. Meanwhile, anyone can report to the barangay, and if the report is made by a victim who is less than 18 years old, only personal circumstances must be asked from him or her. 

“The barangay is not allowed to make settlements of VAWC cases on their level. Their role is to primarily receive reports and refer clients to the right agencies for proper intervention,” clarified Eustaquio.

The objective of the said dialogue was to find a common ground and understanding of the issues and concerns with regards to barangay settlement and referral system. During the activity, the roles of each of the participating agencies were also discussed. Aside from the DSWD and CHR, other agencies such as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Health (DOH), and several barangay officials, to name a few, were also in attendance.

“The DSWD cannot save the world alone. We need a multi-stakeholder partnership to address the needs of our clients especially those who are victims of abuse and domestic violence,” she ended. ###