INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said it is committed to assisting poor and vulnerable communities in dealing with the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.
The department’s co-spokesperson, Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Irene Dumlao, said that there is an “El Niño National Action Plan” wherein the DSWD is part of the food security cluster headed by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The DSWD said the cluster will ensure a stable supply of key food commodities during the dry spell, which is expected in the middle of 2024.
“On the part of the DSWD, mayroon naman po tayong mga commitment upang makatulong na tugunan ang impact ng El Niño phenomenon lalong lalo na sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan at mga vulnerable sa climate phenomenon,” Dumlao said in an interview on DZME’s Kongreso Ngayon at Your Service.
(On the part of the DSWD, we have commitments to help respond to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, especially to the poor and vulnerable citizens.)
According to Dumlao, government agencies are mandated to prepare for the impending impact of the phenomenon.
Dumlao said that in response to the directive, they have a program called Local Adaptation to Water Access (Project LAWA) that aims to improve the resiliency of the communities affected by El Niño.
“Ang layunin ng Project LAWA ay magbigay ng additional income support para doon sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan, mga farmers, fisherfolk, as well as field community physical assets, particularly nga po iyong water ponds that are vital for community economic activities,” she said.
(Project LAWA aims to provide additional income support to poor Filipinos, particularly farmers and fisherfolk, and provide field community physical assets, particularly water ponds vital to community economic activities.)
Project LAWA is on its pilot implementation, Dumlao said. It started in August and is being implemented in Ifugao, Antique, and Davao de Oro.
The DSWD also noted that the project is being implemented with the DA and the World Food Programme (WFP).
“Under the LAWA project, the DSWD, through its cash-for-training and -work, will provide financial support as an alternative income in exchange for the work rendered by the beneficiaries while constructing the alternative water resources,” the DSWD said.
Dumlao added that the DSWD likewise provides family food packs for farmers, fisherfolk, and families that may be affected by the slow onset of El Niño.
The actions are just some of the agency’s commitments concerning the national plan for the onset of El Niño, she concluded.