Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma sign on Friday (May 31) the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that seals the partnership of the two agencies in strengthening the implementation of the Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) through cash-for-work.

Project LAWA and BINHI is a pioneering project of the DSWD that specifically focuses on mitigating the impacts of food insecurity and water scarcity caused by El Niño while preparing for the potential impacts of La Niña.

In support of the “whole-of-government” approach, the DSWD partnered with DOLE to include the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program in the implementation of Project LAWA at BINHI to provide additional income support through cash-for-work for climate vulnerable communities and families by participating in building water access infrastructure and implementing sustainable farming practices.

The MOU signing held at the DSWD Central Office was witnessed by DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose Cajipe and DOLE Undersecretary Atty Benjo Santos Benavidez.

DSWD officials who attended the signing ceremony were Asst. Secretary for DRMG Irene Dumlao, Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Special Projects Maria Isabel Lanada, and SAS for DRMG Leo Quintilla, who is concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management
Bureau (NRLMB).

DOLE Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns Director Ahmma Charisma Lobrin-Satumba also graced the event.