Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Division Chief Anna Maria Alexa Ledesma of the Standards Bureau (SB) and Social Welfare Officer IV Cheryl Mainar of the Program Management Bureau (PMB) discuss the agency’s latest digital initiatives during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on February 13 at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.

Division Chief Ledesma discussed the Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System or ‘HELPS,’ an online portal that is set to streamline the agency’s frontline services for social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs) and the issuance of travel permit under the Minors Travelling Abroad (MTA).

For her part, Social Welfare Officer Mainar outlined the online process of securing a clearance for minors travelling abroad unaccompanied by their parents or legal guardian.

These digital initiatives will be unveiled on February 18 at the SMX Convention Center as part of the DSWD’s 74th anniversary celebration.

The weekly Thursday Media Forum is hosted by Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Communications Raymond Robert Burgos and Director Dianne Joie Ruiz of the Digital Media Service (DMS). The forum is live-streamed over the DSWD Facebook page. (LSJ)