The Philippine government has taken significant steps in enhancing the country’s social protection systems in response to disasters while ensuring that no one is left behind, a senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Wednesday (October 16).

DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose Cajipe said the agency plays a pivotal role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, ensuring that the most vulnerable sectors of society—women, children, the elderly, and the poor— receive timely and appropriate assistance in times of crisis.

“Our country’s commitment to building resilience is reflected in DSWD’s integration of Adaptive Shock-Responsive Social Protection systems into its existing programs. This approach not only targets emergency relief but also proactively supports vulnerable populations to recover and build resilience against future shocks,” Undersecretary Cajipe said during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) panel discussion at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City,

Undersecretary Cajipe made the statement in response to a question on how the government of the Philippines is scaling up social protection systems to better respond to disasters and bolster disaster resilience of highly-vulnerable groups.

The DSWD official also mentioned Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) that is now part of the DSWD’s disaster-mitigation initiative.

“Now implemented nationwide, Project LAWA and BINHI has developed into a sustainable three-stage approach within a targeted yet inclusive climate change and risk mitigation strategy. Aiming to benefit partner-beneficiaries, with long-term solutions for water sufficiency and food security,” Undersecretary Cajipe said.

The Project LAWA and BINHI aims to enhance the capacities of local community members called partner-beneficiaries through a sustainable and proactive intervention to combat hunger, alleviate co-dependency, and lower community vulnerability by addressing food insecurity and water scarcity worsened by changing climate patterns that could lead to full-scale disasters.

During the two-day APMCDRR, the DSWD also reported the Comprehensive Emergency Program for Children (CEPC) as the basis of the government, child-focused civil society organizations (CSOs), and non-government organizations (NGOs) on their roles and responsibilities in handling disasters and emergencies upon the declaration of State of Calamity.

The CEPC is geared at helping children, children with special needs, pregnant and lactating mothers who are in most need of support for their immediate recovery during disasters,

Undersecretary Cajipe said the DSWD Social Protection Plan 2023-2028 includes capacitating child social welfare workforce in the regional and local levels and establishing standard child-friendly and gender-responsive evacuation centers and transitional shelters nationwide.

The DRMG official also discussed other programs and initiatives of the DSWD such as the Building on Social Protection for Anticipatory Action and Response in Emergencies and Disasters or the B-SPARED Pilot Project; Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC); Mobile Command Centers (MCC); and the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program.

“The Philippines is continuously making significant strides in enhancing its gender responsive and disability-inclusive disaster risk governance by strengthening collaboration with local and international partners, integrating anticipatory action mechanisms, using forecast-based financing and with continued innovations in adaptive shock responsive social protection systems to improve our disaster management framework that serves the most vulnerable communities, ensuring that all Filipinos are prepared and supported in times of crisis so that no one is left behind,” Undersecretary Cajipe pointed out.

This year’s APMCDRR was hosted by the Philippines from October 14 to 17 that brought together government agencies; intergovernmental, international, national civil society organizations; the private sector; science; academia; and stakeholder groups to provide a platform for regional collaboration in disaster risk reduction and resilience building. #

 

Tagalog Version

Pagpapalakas sa PH disaster response, tinalakay sa Asia Pacific Conference

Inihayag ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ang kahalagahan ng ginagawa ng pamahalaan na pagpapalakas sa social protection system sa bansa partikular na sa panahon ng kalamidad upang tiyakin na lahat ng nangangailangan ay matugunan.

Ayon kay DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose Cajipe, mahalaga ang role na ginagampanan ng ahensya sa pagtugon sa disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, upang masiguro na lahat ng mamamayan na nabibilang sa bulnerableng sektor partikular na ang mga kababaihan, kabataan at matatanda ay makatatanggap ng kaukulang tulong at serbisyo sa panahon ng krisis.

“Our country’s commitment to building resilience is reflected in DSWD’s integration of Adaptive Shock-Responsive Social Protection systems into its existing programs. This approach not only targets emergency relief but also proactively supports vulnerable populations to recover and build resilience against future shocks,” sabi ni Undersecretary Cajipe sa ginanap na Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) panel discussion sa Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City.

Ang pahayag na ito ni Undersecretary Cajipe ay bilang tugon sa tanong hinggil sa ginagawa ng gobyerno upang mapalakas ang social protection system na makapagbibigay ng mabilis na tulong.

Binanggit ng DSWD official ang Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) na ngayon ay parte na ng DSWD disaster-mitigation initiative.

“Now implemented nationwide, Project LAWA and BINHI has developed into a sustainable three-stage approach within a targeted yet inclusive climate change and risk mitigation strategy. Aiming to benefit partner-beneficiaries, with long-term solutions for water sufficiency and food security,” sabi pa ni Undersecretary Cajipe.

Ang Project LAWA at BINHI ay naglalayong mapalakas ang kapasidad ng local community members o ng partner-beneficiaries sa pamamagitan ng sustainable and proactive intervention upang labanan ang kagutuman at mapagaang ang kabuhayan .

Sa ginanap na two-day APMCDRR, iniulat ng ahensya ang Comprehensive Emergency Program for Children (CEPC) bilang basehan sa child-focused civil society organizations (CSOs), at non-government organizations (NGOs) sa kanilang roles and responsibilities kaugnay ng pagtugon sa disasters and emergencies sakaling magkaroon ng declaration of State of Calamity.

Ang CEPC ay naglalayong tulungan ang mga bata, may kapansanan, buntis at nagpapasusong ina na kadalasang nangangailangan ng dagliang tulong sa panahon ng kalamidad.

Sabi ni Undersecretary Cajipe kabilang sa DSWD Social Protection Plan 2023-2028 ang pagkakaroon ng child social welfare workforce sa regional at local levels. Kabilang din dito ang pagkakaroon ng child-friendly and gender-responsive evacuation centers at transitional shelters.

Tinalakay din ng opisyal ng DRMG ang iba pang programs and initiatives ng ahensya tulad ng Building on Social Protection for Anticipatory Action and Response in Emergencies and Disasters o B-SPARED Pilot Project; Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC); Mobile Command Centers (MCC); at Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program.

“The Philippines is continuously making significant strides in enhancing its gender responsive and disability-inclusive disaster risk governance by strengthening collaboration with local and international partners, integrating anticipatory action mechanisms, using forecast-based financing and with continued innovations in adaptive shock responsive social protection systems to improve our disaster management framework that serves the most vulnerable communities, ensuring that all Filipinos are prepared and supported in times of crisis so that no one is left behind,” paglilinaw pa ni Undersecretary Cajipe.

Para sa taong kasalukuyan, ang Pilipinas ang host ng APMCDRR, na sinimulan nitong October 14 at magtatagal hanggang October 17 at dinaluhan ng mga government agencies; intergovernmental, international, national civil society organizations; private sector; science; academia; stakeholder groups. #