DSWD Program Beneficiaries Attend Pre-SONA 2019

Some beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) programs and services like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center II (AVRC), Home for Girls, Regional Haven and the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) attend the pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2019 Forum held today at a hotel in Cebu City.

This is the second leg of the three-part fora which aims to trumpet the latest achievements of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration ahead of his fourth SONA on July 22.

“Nalipay ko nga gi-imbitar ko nga maka-attend aning okasyon miskin usa ra ako ka yano nga tawo ug makakita sa mga dagkong opisyales sa atong gobyerno (I am happy that I was invited to attend this occasion despite being an ordinary citizen and I was able to see high officials of the government),” said Genoveva “Ebeng” Castro, a 4Ps partner-beneficiary from Buenavista, Bohol.

Genoveva is also a program-participant of SLP which provided her a livelihood training and a new handloom machine for her raffia weaving business.

“Nindot nga makakita ta ani aron masayud ta unsay nabuhat sa gobyerno (It is good that we have witnessed this activity for us to know the updates of what the government has been doing and its accomplishments),” added Ebeng.

Another beneficiary who attended the Pre-SONA is Ma. Luna Furog of Poblacion Talibon Association for Sustainable Livelihood in Talibon, Bohol.

She has the same remarks as Ebeng’s and expressed that these good accomplishments of the government shall continue.

“Mas nindot nga mapadayun kining mga programa ug madungagan pa ang angayan matabangan (It would be better if these programs will continue and will add more beneficiaries especially those who are in dire need),” Ma. Luna said.

The Poblacion Talibon Association for Sustainable Livelihood was awarded 2nd place in the Gawad Usbong under the market category of micro-enterprise development (MD) track during the Sulong Bayanihan 2019 of the SLP.

Before the start of the Pre-SONA, Francisco Elardo, a 4Ps partner-beneficiary from Badian, Cebu was interviewed by DZRB-AM Radyo Pilipinas via phone patch.

He shared how 4Ps has helped in sending his children to school.

“Dako ang natabang sa Pantawid sa among pamilya labi na sa pagpaeskwela sa akong mga anak apan kabalo ko nga kini abag ra gayud ug maninguha gihapon ako isip padre de familia uban sa akong asawa (Pantawid greatly helps our family especially in sending my children to school but I know that this program is just an assistance and I should continue to persevere as the head of the family together with my wife),” said Francisco.

The Elardo family is the 2019 Search for Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya regional winner.

Aside from Ebeng, Ma. Luna and Francisco, selected beneficiaries from Cebu City and Mandaue City also attended the forum.

As the Chairperson of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster (HDPRC), DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista reported the updates of the HDPRC.

“Investment in human capital development is an essential factor in socioeconomic growth and for the past three years, it is with great pleasure to inform you, my fellow government officials and our dear beneficiaries, that the Duterte Administration’s commitment to achieving “Matatag, Maginhawa at Panatag na Buhay” has gained traction and is now being felt by our fellow Filipinos,” said Secretary Bautista in his opening speech.

He also presented about the significant drop of poverty incidence in the first half of 2018 by six point one percent as compared to the same period in 2015. According to Sec. Bautista, more Filipino families are able to meet basic food needs as subsistence incidence decreased to six point two percent in the first half of 2018.

“Also, the proportion of Filipino individuals described as poor has settled at twenty-one percent of the country’s total population, down from twenty-seven point six percent reported during the same period of 2015,” Bautista expressed.

“Therefore, in just three years, we can already see the fruits of our efforts. Poverty has decreased substantially by focusing on four priority areas – education, health, social protection and rural poverty – which were identified by the President during the SONA in 2018,” Sec. Bautista reported.

Aside from Secretary Bautista’s report on HDPRC, Secretary Eduardo Año of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Officer in Charge (OIC) Janet Abuel of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) provided updates on the Participatory Governance Cluster (PGC).

After the presentation of the accomplishments of the two clusters, secretaries of the various national government agencies under the HDPRC and the PGC answers questions from the audience during the open forum.

To end the forum, a video closing message of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was shown. In his message, he expressed his appreciation of the unwavering commitment of each Cabinet Cluster and called all government agencies to continue working together over the next 3 years to bring about a brighter future for the nation.