Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian confers with representatives of the World Bank (WB), headed by Regional Director for Human Development in East Asia & Pacific (EAP) Alberto Rodriguez on Wednesday (October 25). The meeting aims to strengthen the provision of social protection programs in the Philippines.

Discussed during the meeting were the implementation of the Beneficiary FIRST Social Protection Project (BFIRST Project) and the Philippine Multi-sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP).

Joining Secretary Gatchalian in the meeting were DSWD Undersecretaries Adonis Sulit and Vilma Cabrera, and Assistant Secretary Ana Maria Paz Rafael.

Also in the meeting were the Representatives of the WB which include Practice Manager for the Social Protection and Labor for East Asia and the Pacific Yasser Aabdel-Aleem Awny El-Gammal; Manager for Operation for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand Dandan Chen; Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition and Population for the East Asia and Pacific Region Ronald Mutasa; and, Senior Social Protection Specialist Ruth Rodriguez. #