Having a clear direction from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Monday (July 24) that the DSWD and the national government are in the right direction in fighting hunger and poverty.

Under Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance, the DSWD, which is under the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster (HDPRC), aims to reduce poverty incidence to single digit before President Marcos’ term ends, Secretary Gatchalian pointed out during an interview with Deo Macalma of DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan.

“Ang sabi nga ni Presidente Marcos, by the time na matapos siya, dapat single digit na ang kahirapan at middle income na ang ating bansa. Iyan ang direksyon natin. At kami na nasa DSWD, bahagi kami ng poverty reduction o poverty alleviation, yung maibsan ang kahirapan at kagutuman,” the DSWD chief explained.

(He said, by the time his term ends, our country should have single digit poverty and middle income. That is our direction. And we in the DSWD, we are part of poverty reduction or poverty alleviation, to mitigate poverty and hunger.)

Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that having targets and goals set by the President has helped the DSWD in performing its mandate.

“Klarong-klaro na nasa tamang direksyon ang ating bansa. Marami pang trabaho na kailangang gawin kasi year one pa lang naman.  Pero ang importante is mayroon tayong clear path o ibig sabihin ay may direksyon tayo. Ano ba yung targets and goals natin? Very early on, as of last year, inilatag na iyan ng Pangulo,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.

(It is very clear that our country is in the right direction. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done because it is only year one. But the important thing is that we have a clear path or that means we have a direction. What are our targets and goals? Very early on, as of last year, the President laid that out.)

During the inaugural State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos in 2022, he set several directives for the DSWD such as cleansing the list of beneficiaries of the Pantawid sa Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps); continuing implementation of the Supplemental Feeding Program (SFP); strengthening of programs for victims of violence against women and their children (VAWC);  allocating adequate funds for centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs); strengthening the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program; and ensuring immediate response for victims of crises and calamities.

Secretary Gatchalian said the DSWD is committed to continue fulfilling its mandate of improving the lives of the poor and vulnerable as the Marcos administration begins its second year. #