Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has underscored inclusivity as the core of an open government during the high level Roundtable Discussion on Leadership in Action which was part of the 2025 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taguig City on Thursday (February 6).

Speaking as part of a high level panel composed of officials from the Asia and the Pacific Region, Secretary Gatchalian highlighted the initiatives being championed by the DSWD in support of the Open Government campaign of the Marcos administration.

The DSWD chief said poverty alleviation and ending hunger are complex social problems that cannot be solved overnight nor can be achieved if the government is to do it alone.

Recognizing this, Secretary Gatchalian said: “DSWD employs a whole of society approach by enlisting the help of social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs), foundations, and people’s organizations (POs) as partners in combating hunger and poverty.”

As the lead agency extending social protection to the poor, marginalized and vulnerable sectors, Secretary Gatchalian said the DSWD needs to multiply its capacity by bringing these voices to the table, to provide sustained, adequate, quality, and compassionate service to the Filipino people.

“We in the DSWD believe that in order to craft an anti-poverty, anti-hunger program, we have to bring in more voices, and as I have mentioned, there are thousands of good doers in the private sector, through the non-government organizations (NGOs), peoples organizations (POs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), that are willing to carry and replicate the cuddles of government,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.

Presently, the DSWD issues a certification for the registration, license to operate and accreditation (CRLA) of SWDAs, peoples organizations and other civil society organizations as mandated by Republic Act No. 43734 as amended by RA No. 10847.

A SWDA refers to any organization that engages mainly and generally in programs and services that promote social welfare and development to one or more clientele group.

Most often, the application for government processes is seen by the public to be a burden and a nightmare, according to the DSWD chief.

The Department created a technology platform – the Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System (HELPS) — aimed at streamlining the application process for the CRLA issuance and creating a welcoming atmosphere for the organizations to thrive.

Through the digital application system, the issuance of the CRLA was streamlined from 90 days to 7 days, and cut down the processing steps from 49 days to just 12 days.   The documentary requirements were also simplified from 50 to just 11 significant documents.

Without sacrificing the standard, “we trimmed down the steps, the requirements, and eliminated redundancies,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

Using technology to innovate systems, the DSWD aims to create a more inclusive environment which would result in more poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged sectors being reached and provided with appropriate assistance.

As he concluded his presentation during the round table discussion, Secretary Gatchalian said: “We hope to turn social welfare into a more participatory, consultative, and transparent initiative.” (GDVF)