Alleviating hunger, enhancing disaster response, and streamlining social protection services were listed as among the priorities that newly appointed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian plan to focus on during his leadership.
Gatchalian bared his priorities as the new DSWD Secretary in a press conference at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City on Friday, Feb. 3.
“One of the programs we want to push here is fighting hunger. Alam ko ang mandato natin labanan ang kahirapan at gagawin at gagawin natin iyon. Pero alam naman natin ang paglaban natin sa kahirapan is a long-term endeavor (I know our mandate is to fight poverty and we will do that. But we know that our fight against poverty is a long-term effort),” he said.
“Mas kaya natin gawin labanan ang kagutuman. So habang naghahanap tayo ng long-term solution to lifting people out of poverty, we can immediately provide short-term solution of fighting hunger now. With rising prices, ito ang magiging tugon ng administrasyon pagkain sa hapag (We can fight hunger better. So while we look for long-term solutions to lift people out of poverty, we can provide a short-term solution to fighting hunger now. With rising prices this will be the administration’s response—to ensure there is food on the table),” he added.
Gatchalian also mentioned his plan to enhance the department’s disaster response.
The new DSWD chief is eyeing the establishment of logistics networks and additional warehouses for relief goods and family food packs in strategic locations in the country that are closer to the people, to provide immediate assistance to the families that will be affected by disasters and calamities.
“Disaster preparedness ay labanan ng logistics para masigurado mo na andun ka ahead of the disaster, or kung tumama sa hindi inaasahan na lugar, andun ka during disaster (Disaster preparedness is the battle of logistics to make sure you’re there before disaster strikes, or if it strikes somewhere unexpected, you’re on top of the situation),” he said.
Gatchalian also hopes to continue the efforts of DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo to streamline the delivery of social protection services to ensure ease of doing business with the DSWD.
This also entails the digitalization of systems, processes, and programs and services of the DSWD, he said.
“When it comes to 4Ps , we will stick to the Listahanan. Klaro tayo dun (We are clear about that). In fact, I have to thank and give credit to Secretary Tulfo kasi sinimulan niya na linisin yung current Listahanan (because he started cleaning the current Listahanan),” he added.
Listahanan is an information system for identifying who and where poor households are across the country, which can be used as a basis for targeting beneficiaries for social protection programs.
Gatchalian also assured that the existing structure will remain, emphasizing that he will work with the present workforce of the DSWD.
“There will be no purge and I will say that categorically,” he said. “Hindi tayo magpapalit ng mga tao kasi kailangan hindi naaantala ang kanilang pagdeliver ng serbisyo (We will not change people because it is necessary not to delay the delivery of service). It’s business-as-usual.”
“In my opinion, as a manager, I probably have the skill set that I drew from the local government, but I will not claim that I know everything that’s why we will lean on the expertise of the bureaucrats of DSWD, with keeping in mind that there are other talents out there that we can bring in to enhance our capacity,” he added.
In the next few days, Gatchalian is expected to attend briefing sessions on the functions and key results areas of the various DSWD offices, bureaus, services and units (OBSUs) and field offices.
He is also scheduled to meet with DSWD regional directors next week.
Gatchalian took his oath of office before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang last Jan. 31.