The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to sign an agreement with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and two other government agencies on Friday (December 15) in line with the harmonization of government programs, projects, and other related activities for senior citizens and persons with disability as mandated in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2023.

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs and co-spokesperson Irene B. Dumlao said the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), and the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) are the two other signatory government agencies in the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, S. 2023 that will ensure that government funds are judiciously allocated for the elderly persons and persons with disability.

“The JMC will strengthen the government’s planning and monitoring mechanisms to guarantee that a specific portion of the total budget of all government offices will be utilized for the welfare of older persons and persons with disability,” Asst. Sec. Dumlao, who is also the DSWD data protection officer, pointed out.

Section 36 of the General Provisions (GP 36) under Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 (GAA) states that “All agencies of the government shall formulate plans, programs, and projects intended to address the concerns of Senior Citizens and Persons with Disability, in so far, as it relates to their mandated functions and integrate the same in their regular activities.”

According to Asec. Dumlao, one of the main provisions of the JMC is the creation of a technical work group (TWG) composed of representatives from the DSWD, the NCDA and the NCSC that will come up with the consolidated annual evaluation or year-end assessment report on the implementation of GP 36 under FY 2023 GAA and equivalent provisions years thereafter.

“It will also serve as a basis for future policy development since the JMC can be adopted in future legislations regarding the formulation of plans, programs, and projects intended to address the concerns of our vulnerable and marginalized kababayans,” Asec. Dumlao said.

The JMC mandates the NCSC and NCDA to submit to their Agency Plan of Action for CY 2024 and years thereafter to address the concerns of their respective sectors.

The DBM will use these reports in the review and evaluation of the agency’s budget proposal for the succeeding year.

Under the JMC, the NCSC and NCDA are also mandated to utilize their existing grievance mechanisms such as setting up of information or grievance/complaint desks and the development of a system for web-based complaint management to gather feedback or complaints from their concerned sectors.

The JMC covers all national government agencies, executive departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, commissions, state universities, and colleges including government financial institutions, government-owned and/or -controlled corporations and local government units.

Among the listed programs, projects, activities, and services that can be utilized to address the concerns of the priority sectors are human resource development and capacity building programs; promotion and provision of employment opportunities; protection and safety programs; information, education, and communication (IEC) materials and advocacies; policy development; research activities; and, improvement and maintenance of centers and facilities.#