The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has increased to 160, the department disclosed late Saturday afternoon.
DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said based on their latest data, they recorded 160 confirmed cases with one death and 57 recoveries.
"Sa kasalukuyan, mayroon na po tayong 160 na confirmed cases sa DSWD na kinabibilangan ng mga kawani sa mga iba’t ibang Field Offices at dito rin po sa Central Office (At present, we have 160 confirmed cases involving the DSWD’s personnel from different Field Offices and also here in the Central Office),” she said in an interview at DZMM TeleRadyo.
Of the total number of COVID-19 cases, 32 are active cases from the Central Office and 70 from the field offices, Dumlao said in a phone interview with the Manila Bulletin.
She said a personnel in the Central Office had succumbed to the disease.
Dumlao said the DSWD Central Office has 12 recoveries, while 45 personnel from field offices who caught the disease have recovered.
She said those infected personnel were involved in the distribution of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) emergency cash subsidies, in the continued implementation of the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, and in assisting locally-stranded individuals (LSIs).
She said the infected frontliners were given assistance “based on their needs,” including financial and medical assistance, food packs, and psychosocial services.
Dumlao assured the public that amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the second tranche distribution of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) and the delivery of its other pro-people services will remain uninterrupted.
It expressed gratitude to its personnel for fulfilling their duties amid the threats of COVID-19.
"DSWD personnel brave the threats to their health and well-being in order to deliver the cash subsidies during manual payouts in big venues, as well as in far-flung and conflict-areas,” the DSWD said.
"Aside from the SAP, DSWD personnel also render face-to-face service to clients availing of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, locally-stranded individuals, seniors citizen-beneficiaries of the Social Pension, and persons with disability, among others,” it added.
The DSWD has been tasked to lead the implementation of SAP, which grants subsidies ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 to low-income households as provided for under Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
Currently, the DSWD has close to 30,000 personnel nationwide.