The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) pledged to implement stronger social protection programs following the Senate’s approval of its proposed P210.6 billion budget for 2023.
The budget covers the DSWD Central Office and its attached and supervised agencies, namely the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), National Authority for Child Care (NACC), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), and Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP).
DSWD will implement three major programs—the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) with a budget allotment of P110.6 billion; Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens with a budget of P30.2 billion; and protective services for individuals and families in difficult situations with a budget of P30.1 billion.
It also allocated P11 billion for the implementation of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services—National Community-Driven and Development Project (Kalahi-CIDSS-NCDDP), P6.9 billion for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), P3.7 billion for the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), and P3.2 billion for services for residential and center-based clients.
In addition, the DSWD will also continue to provide technical advisory assistance and other related services to help local government units in their delivery of quality social welfare programs and services to their constituents.
It is awaiting final approval of its budget allocation through the bicameral deliberation of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The DSWD, under the leadership of Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo, has pledged to continuously improve its delivery of social welfare and development programs to ease the risks and vulnerabilities experienced by poor Filipinos amid global inflation and pandemics.