The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is a Philippine government-owned agency that provides social services to Filipinos. It helps people in need of financial, food, housing, healthcare, and educational assistance. This agency focuses on the poor, vulnerable, and those at the bottom of society. DSWD is in charge of administering, developing, implementing, and coordinating social protection and poverty-reduction programs to improve the living condition of every Filipino.
The DSWD is one of the most critical and active agencies of the Philippine government when the pandemic hits. They made sure that the local government unit will reach the poor. They set up stations for people who need to evacuate and front liners who needed a place to stay, clean water, sanitation, and bath.
Functions and Responsibilities of DSWD
DSWD’s vision is for all Filipinos to become free from hunger and poverty, and have equal access to opportunities, enabled by a fair, just, and peaceful society. Its mission is to lead in the formulation, implementation, and coordination of social welfare and development policies and programs for and with the poor vulnerable, and disadvantaged. It performs these functions and responsibilities:
- To help service providers in enhancing their ability to manage individual, family, group, or community cases.
- Create performance measures to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of social welfare and development programs and their influence on cases under supervision.
- Preside on-site and interactive case management problem-solving with service providers.
- Boost workers and agency performance by giving access to technical assistance for supervisory recipients.
Agencies Affiliated with DSWD
- Council for the Welfare of Children
- Inter-Country Adoption Board
- National Youth Commission
- National Council on Disability Affairs
DSWD Programs and Services
- Adoption and Foster Care. This program aims to place a minor with responsible and reliable parent/s other than their biological parents.
- Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB). This program is designed to secure the implementation of key poverty reduction initiatives.
- Center and Residential Care Facilities. This program aims to provide an alternate family care arrangement for families in crisis.
- Disaster Response Operations. This program provides help to those people who are affected by a disaster.
- Gender and Development (GAD). This program recognizes that gender issues affect all aspects of development, and thus, must be considered as the government should take into account various aspects of community life when planning, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing policies related to economic growth.
- International Social Welfare Services for Filipino (ISWSFN). This program provides financial, legal, and other services to foreign Filipinos who need help and protection.
- Kalahi CIDSS-NCDDP (Kapit-Bisg Laban sa Kahirapan-Comrehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services-National Communitu-Driven Developemtn Program). This program provides comprehensive social services to the Filipino community to reduce poverty. It aims to bring asset reforms, human development services, capacity building, and government engagement.
- Listahan. This program aims to identify and locate poor people in the Philippines with the help of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction.
- Pamana (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan). This program’s goal is to improve the underprivileged communities’ access to fundamental social services while also promoting responsive governance.
- Protect Services Program. All Filipinos in crisis or challenging situations can receive various interventions through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and Assistance to Communities in Needs (ACN) programs.’
- Poverty and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP). This program provides a comprehensive set of activities and services that aims to help a person’s psychosocial and economic requirements.
- Supplemental Feeding Program. This program is part of the DSWD’s ECCD program that aims to provide food to children.
- Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). This community-based capacity-building program has a two-track program that aims to improve the socioeconomic situation of Filipinos.
- Microenterprise Development Tract. This program assists microenterprises to become more organized and economically viable.
- Employment Facilitation Tract. This program gives support to Filipinos in finding acceptable employment prospects.
- Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). This program focuses on the health and education of poor families, mainly those with children aged 0 to 18.
- Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens. This program aims to help poor Filipinos whose over 60 years of age. They provide basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, and daily subsistence and other medical needs.
DSWD Centers and Residential Care Facilities
DSWD-NCR has twelve (12) Centers and Residential Care Facilities that aim to provide protection, rehabilitation, and care for underprivileged sectors.
Here’s the list of Residential Care Facilities in NCR:
Infographics: DSWD Programs PDF
The DSWD has a lot of projects and programs depending on the place where you live. This infographic will show you the list of projects and programs that are being implemented nationwide. Download the full list of programs here – STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION FY 2020
Video: Sustainable Livelihood Program by DSWD
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the responsibilities of DSWD?
Aside from helping minors from traumatic situations and giving them physical, mental, and emotional help, DSWD also provides support to every family who is in need of shelter, counseling, rehabilitation, and livelihood assistance.
2. Are middle-class families can be qualified for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program?
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps is designed to help Filipino families who are at the bottom of society to reduce poverty in the Philippines. Hence, Filipinos who have decent jobs and whose children are above 18 years old can’t be qualified for this program.
3. Does DSWD give free mental health support?
Yes! DSWD provides psychological assessment and debriefing not only for victims but also for all Filipinos with mental health issues. They provide compensation benefits or special financial assistance.
4. How does DSWD know who is qualified or not for their programs?
DSWD depends on Census and Listahan to check who is qualified for a program. Census and Listahan visit and conduct an interview with each household.
Summary
The Department of Social Welfare and Development or DSWD is one the most involved agency of the Philippine government to all Filipinos. In every disaster and even in the middle of the pandemic, they are always there to help every Filipino. They give assistance, cash aid, and help abused individuals to cope physically and mentally by giving them psychological assistance.
DSWD’s main objective is to help Filipino who are from very poor families and abused children to have a better life. To know more about their programs and projects, you may visit their website at https://www.dswd.gov.ph/.