DSWD Davao Sur Caravan Hailed

Davao del Sur Representative Franklin Bautista (right) and Mayor Johnny Johnson of Don Marcelino town listen as officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development report Tuesday, March 9, 2009 programs and services implemented in the 2nd Congressional District of the province. (Photo by Carmela Duron)

DAVAO DEL SUR, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 13, 2009) – Davao del Sur 2nd District Representative Franklin Bautista praised the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the success of the Caravan Cum Program Review held in the town of Malita.

“I would like to commend the DSWD for conceptualizing this kind of activity. This would help us address problems of social concern. This would guide us perform our role effectively and efficiently. I hope my office can contribute and give sufficient assistance in relation to social services,” Bautista said on Tuesday.

Bautista even committed to work closely with DSWD in his social development programs. The event was also participated by mayors Johnny Johnson of Don Marcelino town; Roel Paras of Malalag town; Benjamin Bautista of Malita town; and Sarangani Vice Mayor Jovanie Almierol, municipal social welfare officers, other local officials and DSWD regional officials.

Paras said he appreciated the DSWD’s programs his town benefited, saying, “it’s only now that I am able to express my gratitude to the Director and to the regional staff.”

Municipal Social Welfare Officer Esther Hermosisima of Malita said her town is also a recipient of numerous DSWD programs and she looks forward to another DSWD project – the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction Program or NHTS-PRP.

Initiated by DSWD Director Ester Versoza, the caravan aimed to directly report to legislators, chief executives and municipal social welfare officers the agency’s performance and accomplishments in their respective areas.

Assistant Director of DSWD Priscilla Nidea-Razon said: “Through this kind of interaction, we are able to immediately obtain the reaction, feedback and comments of the concerned officials relative to implementation of DSWD programs and services.”

Simultaneous with the caravan was the screening of some 67 enumerators who will conduct the household assessment under the NHTS-PRP. Interview of enumerators are also being conducted in the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Davao City.

For this new program, DSWD Davao Region is expected to hire at least 231 enumerators, encoders, area coordinators and supervisors. Using the Proxy Means Test Method of determining who and where the poor are, the national assessment will run for two months.

According to DSWD records, Davao del Sur has the most number of households identified for the assessment at over 58,000. Phase 1 of the assessment targets about 87,777 poor households in Davao Region and the first batch training for enumerators is slated in Malita on March 16. (Carmela Duron)

Davao Oriental gets 100 housing units for poor families

Governor Corazon Malanyaon of Davao Oriental province congratulates housing recipient Romeo Roberto during the turnover ceremonies in the village of Tubaon in Tarragona town. Looking on are Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang, Social Welfare Director Ester Versoza and Tarragona Mayor Samuel Uy. (Photo contributed by Carmela Duron)

DAVAO ORIENTAL, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 23, 2009) – Governor Corazon Malanyaon of Davao Oriental province lauded local officials and the housing recipients during the turnover and inaugural rites of the 100 shelter units in Tarragno town.

“Your cooperation and unity largely played a great role in making these housing units possible,” she said.

Malanyaon also urged the housing beneficiaries to prove that they deserve the project and encouraged them to be self-sufficient particularly with respect to food production. “Let us be competitive and let us strive to make our community and our province a major producer of main crops such as rice, corn, abaca, rubber and even cassava,” she said.

The ceremony held Wednesday in the village of Tubaon was also joined by Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang, of the First District of Davao Oriental, Social Welfare Director Ester Acebedo-Versoza and her assistant Priscilla Nidea-Razon, Tarragona Mayor Samuel Uy, Provincial Board Members Nestor Uy and Ronald Lara, among other personalities.

Tubaon village chieftain Romeo Roberto appealed to the recipients: “Magtinabangay kita alang sa uban pang mga proyekto ug aron samot mapalambo ang atong probinsya (Let us work together to pursue more projects for the improvement of our province).”

Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance (NASA) President Expedito Dampiganon expressed his gratitude to the proponents and supporters of the housing project.

Currently, the national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development facilitated the construction of some 1,401 housing units throughout the Davao Region under the Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP).

The CSAP is granted to individuals or families left homeless by disasters. The project is a community development initiative utilizing the principles of community organizing, convergence of services and capability building. (Carmela Duron)

Social Welfare Office Intensifies Drive On Legal Adoption

Social Welfare Operations Chief Consejo Usman speaks to media in Zamboanga City in Mindanao during the Adoption Consciousness Week. And Social Welfare Officer Josie Reyes also speaks to a crowd at the Plaza Pershing where orphaned children dance and show their talent. The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western Mindanao puts up an Adoption Held Desk at the Southway Square in Zamboanga City.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 23, 2009) – The weeklong celebration of the Adoption Consciousness Week ended on Tuesday with the successful advocacy and community awareness on legal adoption in Zamboanga City.

The local Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-Region 9) spearheaded the activities.

Consejo Usman, DSWD 9 Operations Division Chief, emphasized the need for a maximized advocacy on adoption.

“We need to inform the public constantly about the problems that these children [orphans] face… they do not have what is really important, and that is a family… the government recognizes these children’s troubles, and one measure to really step up awareness is the holding of a week-long celebration aimed at communicating to the public what needs to be communicated; that these children deserve a family, a home, food, a future, care and most importantly, love,” Usman said.

Aside from the activities, other awareness-raising projects were also held in Zamboanga Cit, including the setting up of an Adoption Help Desks in local malls, as well as advocacy programs on television and radio.

Josefina Reyes, Social Welfare Officer II and focal person for adoption, expressed her gratitude to all those who participated in the event.

“It really pains us to see children suffer, especially when they aren’t meant to… however, seeing how much support we get from the community, the public and the private sector, it gives us a sense of hope that indeed, homeless children will eventually have families, and will live productive and successful lives in the future,” Reyes said. (Dominic Sanchez)

Philippines Campaigns For Prevention Of Children Exploitation, Abuses

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 09, 2009) – The Philippines began the week-long observance of the 13th National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.

Through Proclamation No. 731, the country marks the national awaresness week beginning on February 8. The Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) spearheads the event with the theme, “Sekswal na Pang-aabuso sa Bata, Nangyayari Saan Man: Karahasang Dapat Wakasan.”

Social Welfare Undersecretary Alicia Bala said the annual observance aims to promote awareness on the problem of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and advocate respect for laws and ordinances on children. Bala urged all sectors and organizations to initiate activities and participate in the various undertakings related to child protection. (Carmela Duron)

Poor Davao families get gov't cash subsidy

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 26, 2009) - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) released Monday a total of P702,100 cash subsidy to at least 425 poor families in Davao City in Mindanao.

The subsidy was part of the government's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

DSWD Assistant Regional Director Priscilla Nidea-Razon said they have identified 3,400 household beneficiaries in Davao City, specifically in Talomo, City Poblacion, Panacan, Bunawan, Toril, Agdao, Calinan and Tibungco.

“In the last quarter of 2008, about 5,838 grantees from Caraga and Manay towns received their monthly subsidy through the Land Bank Branch in Mati City,” Razon said.

In Davao Region, the 4Ps is being implemented in Manay and Caraga, Davao Oriental and in the three congressional districts of Davao City, and to date over P7 million have been released to the 4Ps grantees in the three areas.

4Ps is a five-year social protection program which grants health, nutrition and education cash packages to qualified extremely poor households. Five hundred pesos will be extended per month per family for health check-ups, vaccinations and food while P300 shall be provided every month per child for school needs.

A household with three qualified children can obtain a subsidy of P15,000 annually as long as it meets some conditionality, but they must also comply with the conditions to continue receiving the cash grants.

And among the conditions are parents must ensure that their children attend school at least 85% of the time, and receive vaccinations and health care; pregnant women must receive pre- and post- natal care and be attended during childbirth by a skilled health professional; and parents must attend responsible parenthood seminars, mother’s classes, and parent effectiveness seminars.

The goal of 4Ps is to break the inter-generational cycle of poverty by fostering change in behavior among parents and encouraging them to invest in their and their children’s future with respect to health, nutrition and education.

The program uses a scientifically formulated Proxy Means Test to target the poorest of the poor in the poorest municipalities (based on Small Area Estimate) of the 26 poorest provinces and 12 cities with large pockets of poverty. Data are gathered per household in those municipalities through a saturation household survey in the poorest barangays. Every household is surveyed by competent enumerators trained and supervised by DSWD.

In 2008, some 694,214 households were surveyed in 159 municipalities in 23 provinces and 12 cities to find the poor households. Some 337,416 household beneficiaries nationwide are now receiving their cash assistance under the program. (Carmela Duron)

Senior Citicens To Get VAT Windfall

Davao City, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 28, 2008) – Some P500 million in Philippine government collections from the oil taxes are expected to benefit poor senior citizens who are not covered by any retirement benefits.

“Poor citizens who are seventy years old and above and not covered by retirement benefits from Social Security System or Government Service Insurance System and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office are among the recipients of the one-time cash subsidy of P500 obtained from the national government’s oil value added tax collections,” said Estrella Brigole, of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, at a press conference in Davao City on Monday.

“The DSWD is coordinating with the local government units and the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) for the smooth implementation of the project. For Davao region alone, we are targeting some 60,000 older persons that would require P30 million funds. Authorized DSWD special disbursing officers shall go down to the LGUs on the scheduled payout dates and directly disburse the cash subsidy to the claimant,” she said.

She said if more senior citizens meet the subsidy criteria; the ratio of one beneficiary per family shall be followed. She urged eligible senior citizens to apply at their local OSCA or at the local social welfare office so they can be included in the master list of those who can avail of the program.

She said senior citizens should bring with them any valid identification cards and village certification which indicates their birth dates before they cay be included in the government’s poverty assistance.

Brigole said local governments have until November 10 to submit the master list to the DSWD regional offices. “The DSWD shall submit the master list of senior citizens including photocopy of ID and Barangay (village) Certification to Central Office for funding. Date of release of the cash subsidy will be announced by LGU officials,” she said.

“Eligible senior citizens may claim the subsidy at their local OSCA or in the absence of such, the local social welfare and development office. Claimants must present any valid ID indicating birth date, or Barangay Certification. Authorized representatives of senior citizens who are unable to claim must present a valid ID, valid ID of the senior citizen and authorization letter,” she added. (With reports from Carmela Duron and Romy Bwaga)

Government Pro-Poor Projects, Criticized

MAKATI CITY, Philippines - The United Opposition (UNO) dismissed the Arroyo government's much-ballyhooed P5-billion aid program for poor families as "another publicity gimmick," echoing the position of the Catholic Church and civic groups that the fight against poverty would require "an honest to goodness campaign against graft and corruption in government and not mere politically-motivated dole out."

Instead of giving dole out to the poor, UNO President and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said, the Arroyo government should provide jobs and efficient social services to poor Filipinos and take strong steps to prevent further increases in the prices of basic commodities such as rice and other food items.

"It is unfortunate that no amount of publicity gimmicks will improve the approval ratings of President Arroyo," Binay said in a statement. "What she must do is provide good governance that will give better social services to the poor and job opportunities to the unemployed. This can only be achieved by eradicating graft and corruption in this government."

"The P5B government aid program is good primary as a public relations tool," said UNO spokesperson Adel Tamano, adding that "Malacañang failed to acknowledge is that the poverty and food crisis were caused by official corruption and misgovernance."

"The first step that must be done in an authentic poverty alleviation program is to rid the Arroyo administration of corrupt and inept officials who got us into this mess on the first place," Tamano added.

Tamano explained that the so-called Ahon Pamilyang Pilipino was designed by palace publicists to improve the plunging approval ratings of President Arroyo among the poor, noting that a provision in the program requiring that Malacañang should identify the beneficiaries of the aid.

"The entire scheme was obviously politically motivated," Tamano said. "What are alarming are reports that Malacañang's qualification and identification of poorest of the poor would target only 300,000 families. This is much too low and implies that only a minuscule number of poor families deserve attention."

For his part, San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito, UNO National Capital Region chairman, deplored the apparent lack of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the P5B aid program.

Ejercito warned that "the poor track record of the Arroyo administration in resisting graft and corruption tells us that this would only be another huge waste of government resources." "We in the united Opposition wish that this P5B aid program would actually benefit the poor.

But that would be wishful thinking under the Arroyo administration," the San Juan mayor said. Earlier, Caritas Manila Executive Director Fr. Anton Pascual criticized the aid program, saying it would only make the poor dependent on government doleout and would encourage them to be lazy.

"It is anti-poor, gives the poor no dignity, and only breeds dependency," Pascual. He explained that teaching the poor to be dependent was not part of the long-term solution to the soaring cost of basic necessities, especially food.

Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said Malacañang had allocated P5 billion this year to fund a P500 monthly stipend for each of the country's poorest families to help them cope with the escalating prices of basic necessities.

Under the Ahon Pamilyang Pilipino (APP) program, a family will get an additional P300 for every child who logs at least 85 percent class attendance in a month. At most, three children per family could avail themselves of the stipend.

But due to budget constraints, the five-year APP program could cover only 300,000 families in the 20 poorest provinces, or 7 percent of the 4.7 million poor households in the country. (Marlene Salgado)

Zamboanga Maid Abused In Dubai Flies Back Home

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 29 Mar) – A Filipino maid, who was abused by her employers in Dubai, is set to return to her native home in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines.

But the 21-year old Faija Salamat has reasons to come home happy despite her ordeal in the hands of a Kuwaiti woman and her Iraqi husband after a court in Dubai found the couple guilty.

Salamat was subjected to gratuitous torture and violence at the hands of her female Kuwaiti employer and an Iraqi man last July until her escape.

The two were jailed on February 27 having been sentenced to three years followed by deportation. They were found guilty of sexual harassment, battery and illegal detention, the Dubai-based online news site 7DAYS reported on Thursday.

The couple allegedly admitted torturing Salamat like she was a prisoner at the Abu Ghraib, a notorious U.S. military facility in Iraq.

“All I can think of now is to be with my family,” 7DAYS quoted Salamat as saying.

“I’m so excited to see my parents and my seven siblings back home. I just want to be home as soon as possible. I feel anxious - the memory of the cruel abuse continues to haunt me,” she said.

Salamat, a high school graduate, left home when she was only 18, to work as a housemaid in Kuwait in 2003 before working in Dubai eight months ago.

“I’d like to forget all about it and move on. At night, I sometimes cry myself to sleep when I remember them and the torture,” she said.

Salamat said her employers would undress her and touched her intimately and often times would stub lit cigarettes near her private parts. They also burned her with hot coals and scrub ice cubes on her body.

She said she was kept in a room for three days before forcing the door open and fleeing to the Philippine Consulate in Dubai.

“I don’t think I can forgive them for the awful things they have done to me. I hope that it will serve as a lesson for employers not to mistreat and subject maids to physical and psychological abuse,” Salamat said.

It was not immediately known where Salamat’s family is residing in Zamboanga City and the Department of Social Welfare and Development said it has to receive a report from the Philippines’ Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) about the young Muslim woman.

“We have no reports about Faija Salamat or anything about her case. We have to receive an endorsement from the OWWA so we can take an immediate action about this as soon as she arrives home,” a local social welfare assistant Maryann Boncaras told the Mindanao Examiner on Thursday. (Mindanao Examiner)