DSWD kicks off ‘Oplan Pag-Abot’ to get homeless off the streets

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian is accompanied by Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano in Pasay. Photo from the DSWD

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday kicked off the full implementation of “Oplan Pag-Abot,” a project that aims to get street dwellers off the roads and into the agency’s custody.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian himself went and reached out to families and persons living along Macapagal and Roxas Boulevards in Pasay City.

Photo from the DSWD

“Ngayong unang araw ng expanded reach out operations,  minabuti natin na sumama sa reach-out para ma-monitor ang proseso,” Gatchalian said.

(For today’s expanded reach-out operations, we decided to join to monitor the standard operating procedure.)

Gatchalian spoke to and convinced families to go with the DSWD, where they can be provided with livelihood opportunities once they return to their home provinces. Other assistance available to the homeless were relocation aid, support packages, transitory shelter assistance and more.

According to the DSWD, the families had their biometric registered and will be issued identification cards.

“This is going to be a mainstream program of the Department. Hindi na siya add-on program na seasonal. Sa atin ngayon, ito na ang thrust natin, abutin ang mga pamilya sa lansangan,” Gatchalian said.

(This is going to be a mainstream program of the Department. It will not be a seasonal add-on program anymore. Our aim here is to reach out to the families in street situations.)

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JPV