Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian recently held a press conference at the DSWD central office in Quezon City to outline his work plan and strategy for addressing the needs of the poor and vulnerable sector in the country. The new DSWD chief emphasized that his main focus is the fight against hunger and poverty, and he expressed his readiness to tackle the country’s social problems.
During the conference, Secretary Gatchalian announced his commitment to bring back the food stub system, in addition to providing livelihood assistance to eligible families and individuals as a measure to mitigate hunger.
““Wala naman akong intensyon na baguhin ang listahan. Napansin ko lang po na noong mayor pa ako ng Valenzuela, pabago-bago ang database dahil sa dami sources, at minsan pwede tayong maligaw,” said Sec. Gatchalian.
He also stated that he would prioritize cleansing the database of beneficiaries to ensure that only deserving and eligible families and individuals receive DSWD aid and assistance programs. The Secretary plans to seek the assistance of experts from organizations such as the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Social Weather Stations to help achieve this goal.
In addition to addressing hunger and poverty, Secretary Gatchalian also expressed his commitment to reducing illiteracy, which remains a big problem among the poor and vulnerable sector. He plans to upgrade the health care facilities and social activity centers of the DSWD and streamline the requirements for applying for benefits and specified financial assistance.
Secretary Gatchalian also stated that he would pursue the setting up of logistics networks and additional warehouses for relief goods and family food packs in strategic locations across the country, to provide immediate and prompt assistance to families affected by disasters and calamities. He acknowledged that he has only been in office for a few days and would require more time to go into the complete details of his new endeavor.
“Tatlong araw pa lang po ako sa opis kaya marami pa akong tao na dapat kausapin at hingan ng mga importanteng datos,” he added.
