With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive that no one would be left behind, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reached out to the homeless, or families and individuals in street situations (FISS).

The DSWD reached out to 13 families and nine individuals in street situations along NIA Road, Quezon City, on Friday, offering temporary shelter, transport to their hometowns, and immediate and long-term aid.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the operation under the Pag-abot Program, in line with President Marcos’ Executive Order No. 52, which institutionalized the initiative as a unified service platform for vulnerable Filipinos.

“Isa sa mandato ng mahal na Pangulo, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr, ay masiguro na walang pamilyang Pilipino na naiiwan, lahat dapat natutulungan ng DSWD. Primary diyan yung mga pamilyang nasa lansangan, kasi sabi ko nga kung may mahirap na pamilyang Pilipino sila na siguro yung pinaka mahirap na pamilyang Pilipino,” Secretary Gatchalian said in a television interview.

Apart from temporary shelter and reintegration into their communities, the DSWD also provides economic assistance, depending on the FISS’s identified needs.

“Dito ngayon papasok yung livelihood grant ng DSWD. Aalamin namin, ano ba ang gusto nila? Magkaroon ng sarili din na pagkakaabalahan sa kanilang mga tahanan?” the DSWD chief noted.

“Or katulad ng isa na nakausap natin kanina nag-iipon siya para makapag-apply ng trabaho. So, bibilisan natin yun, tutulungan natin siya ng tulong pinansyal para makapag-apply siya ng trabaho,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.

The DSWD chief said the Oplan Pag-abot uses a rights-based approach, ensuring that the reach-out procedure continues to adhere to human rights protocols.

“Narinig ko ‘tong approach na ‘to sa mga social workers natin hindi mo talaga pwedeng tigilan. You have to convince them na mas maganda ang alternatibo na ibinibigay ng pamahalaan,” the DSWD chief said. | PND