More than 37,000 personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Central and Field Offices are set to benefit from the newly-signed Collective Negotiations Agreement (CNA) for calendar year 2024-2028.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines (SWEAP) National Chapter President Rolly D. Laganga formalized the agreement during a simple ceremonial signing at the agency’s Katapatan Boardroom in Quezon City on Thursday (August 8),

The CNA is an agreement that will ensure that the rights of the DSWD personnel are protected and their benefits are accorded to them.

“I have always believed in life na walang hindi nareresolba sa maayos na pag-uusap and the CNA is actually a testament to that. It may have taken so long dahil marami s’yang detalye, maraming gusto natin i-thresh out, and nauunawaan ko na in every line of the CNA ay may taglay-taglay s’ya na simbolismo at effect,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

The stipulated provisions in the CNA are the result of the joint undertaking of the Management and the SWEAP representatives which are hinged on the recognition of the basic rights of workers through the provision of security of tenure and humane working conditions.

For his part, SWEAP National Chapter President Laganga remarked: “Ito ay isang makasaysayang sandali para sa Kagawaran at sa mga kawani dahil itinatampok natin ang ika-pitong CNA sa pagitan ng DSWD at ng SWEAP. Ito ay konkretong patunay sa ating patuloy na pangako sa karapatan at kapakanan ng bawat empleyado ng DSWD.”

Among the salient features of the CNA 2024-2028 include provisions on occupational safety and health services, and as much as possible, expand healthcare coverage for all employees; provision of Go Bags for the Quick Response Team (QRT) and basic survival kits and preparedness orientation to all personnel.

The DSWD management and the SWEAP also agreed to provide appropriate intervention to affected staff during times of emergency and disaster and deploy personnel to relief and related operations of the Department, such as post disaster operations debriefing and/or psychosocial and mental health intervention, and financial assistance.

Provision of livelihood assistance through the Project to Supplement Personnel Economic Resources (PROSPER) Fund for personnel was also included in the CNA.

The management also agreed to, whenever reasonable and practicable, provide adequate shuttle service for personnel at the Central Office and Field Offices; to allow the use of the DSWD vehicles for its personnel under crisis situations subject to the existing guidelines; and provide temporary accommodation to employees in emergency situations.

It is also stipulated in the newly-signed CNA that the management shall ensure that all personnel, including contract of service (COS) / job order (JO) workers receive allowances, benefits, night-shift differential, travel expenses/reimbursements, and remunerations allowed by law; and ensure inclusion of provisions on the enjoyment of the unutilized compensatory time off / compensatory day off of JO/COS employees on their contracts/memorandum of agreements upon renewal.

The DSWD Chief said the Management and the Association must continue to maintain an open line of communications and engage in proactive dialogues for the greater good of public service and employee relations in the years to come.

“At the end of the day, dahil umabot tayo sa punto na ito, that means that we have a meeting of the mind kung saan natin gustong dalhin ang organisasyon, kung saan natin gustong dalhin yung mga miyembro ng ating departamento, at kung anong mga kaukulang benepisyo at proteksyon ang gusto nating ibigay sa kanila,” the DSWD chief emphasized. #