Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano held a site visit of the new processing center of the agency’s Pag-abot Program on Tuesday (July 9).

The processing center, along Williams Street in Pasay City, is a six-storey building previously used by a Philippine Overseas Gaming Operations (POGO) firm.

“Sa pakikipagtulungan ng DSWD sa Pasay City government ay nagawa nating mapakinabangan ang dating POGO operations hub upang maging processing site at magsilbing transient shelter sa mga families and individuals in street situations (FISS) bago sila makabalik sa kani-kanilang mga probinsya,” Secretary Gatchalian said during the inspection of the structure.

(Through the cooperation of the DSWD with the Pasay City government, we were able to take advantage of the former POGO operations hub to become a processing site and serve as a transient shelter for families and individuals in street situations before they can return to their respective provinces.)

The facilities featured in the processing center include a child-friendly space, a medical clinic, and a processing area where social workers will be able to conduct intake procedures, profiling, interviews, and assessment.

A space is also provided for the registration of reached-out individuals to the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).

Currently, the facility is catering to the needs of some 60 reached-out individuals who used to live in the streets.

Joining the site visit were DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) Marcelo Nicomedes Castillo, Social Technology Bureau (STB) Asst. Director Marilyn Moral, and Social Welfare Officer Froilan Maglaya.

The DSWD’s Pag-Abot Program aims to reach out to people living and staying on the streets and provide them with the necessary and appropriate interventions. #