A "revved up" disaster response and digitalization of transactions were among the marching orders of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to newly appointed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
In a TeleRadyo interview on Wednesday, Feb. 1, Gatchalian said that he was directed to level up the calamity response of the agency and ensure an immediate relief aid distribution to those in need.
"Minsan walang bagyo pero ulan nang ulan tulad ng nangyayari sa Eastern Visayas right now, ang kanya (presidente), importante na makalinga ang ating mga mamamayan na naging nabiktima ng iba't ibang kalamidad (Sometimes even when there is no storm, it still rains a lot like what is happening in Eastern Visayas now, for him (president), it is important to take care of our citizens who have become victims of various calamities)," he said, citing the unpredictable effects of climate change on the country.
Gatchalian also noted that social welfare is a "logistics game" where there have to be enough assets like a warehouse, packing center, and vehicles ready to be used even before a disaster occurs.
"Kung malaki ang probinsya dapat apat lima 'yan para mas mabilis makapunta sa mga maaaring maging biktima (If the province is large, it should be four or five to get to potential victims faster)," he added.
The digitalization of DSWD transactions will also be pushed through, according to the DSWD chief.
"Sinimulan na ni Secretary Tulfo, ako nagpapasalamat sa kanya na nandun na yung template — yung ease of doing social welfare, yung wag na marami pang dokumentong hinihingi, wag yung paulit-ulit, and later on we can digitalize it (Secretary Tulfo has already started it, I thank him that the template is already there — the ease of doing social welfare, the one that does not require many documents, the one that is not repeated, and later on we can digitalize it)," he added.
The agency also needs to refine the list of program beneficiaries in its database and maximize the use of new technologies to bring quicker assistance to people.
Gatchalian also noted that he will work hand in hand with the current officials in DSWD and they will combine their ideas for the betterment of the agency.