As part of its ongoing “Oplan Pag-Abot” program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) unveiled the “Pag-Abot sa Pasko,” or the agency’s special reach-out operations for “families and individuals in street situations” this month.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the event on Dec. 5 with the establishment of a mega processing center at EDSA and White Plains Avenue in Quezon City.
“We are aware that during the holiday season, there are unexpectedly areas where we see more families in these situations, so we have built an offsite center that will function as a satellite center of Oplan Pag-Abot where we will process the families or individuals in street situation that we have reached out to,” Gatchalian said in Filipino.
The processing center will be responsible for the simultaneous rollout of reach-out activities in Pasig City, Mandaluyong City, San Juan City, and Quezon City this month.
He said the DSWD has 13 teams roving around Metro Manila to reach out to families and individuals living on the streets, including children, and protect them from the risks and dangers of the streets.
The reached-out individuals and families will go through an initial evaluation at the center, which will include registering for PhilSys and biometrics.
These people, along with their families, are transferred to DSWD-run residential care facilities and centers, where they will receive case management, temporary housing, and other essential support.
Gatchalian said the special reach out program will run until Dec. 31 to provide and extend assistance to vulnerable and at-risk families and individuals during the Christmas season, but the regular program will go beyond Christmas.
He urged the public to assist families and individuals living on the streets in proper platform and venue, such as the Oplan Pag-Abot processing centers, which are safer and better organized for both donors and recipients.
“We hope that if we want to help families and individuals in street situations, we should not do it on the streets because it is dangerous for them,” Gatchalian said.
As part of the special reach-out operations, Gatchalian also launched the Oplan Pag-Abot’s official hotline 8-931-9141 and social media account @oplanpagabot on Facebook and X.