By Ellson Quismorio The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has not forgotten the plight of homeless people in the ongoing Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), but it nonetheless stressed that coordination with local officials was key. Department of Social Welfare and Development (MANILA BULLETIN) Asked at Friday's "Laging Handa" press conference regarding the agency's moves so far to assist street dwellers, DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said, "Tayo po ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga local government units (LGUs) through our field office para po mabigyan sila ng kaukulang tulong (We are coordinating with the LGUs through our field office in order to give them due assistance)." Dumlao went on to explain how DSWD augments the needs of a particular LGU as far as sustenance for residents is concerned. "Parte po ng mandato ng DSWD ang pagbibigay ng technical assistance at resource augmentation sa mga LGUs. So initially, LGUs po ang nagpo-provide ng immediate assistance sa kanilang nasasakupan. And upon receipt po ng request from the LGUs, ang DSWD po ay nagpo-provide ng resource augmentation," she said. (Part of the DSWD's mandate is to provide technical assistance and resource augmentation to the LGUs. So initially, LGUs will be the ones to provide immediate assistance to their constituents. And upon receipt of request from the LGUs, the DSWD will provide resource augmentation.) Dumlao said workers who were displaced during the ECQ, like tricycle drivers, can also expect this type of support. "So we provide family food packs and non-food items to the LGUs for distribution constituents. Tinitignan lang po natin yung mga distribution strategies and distribution points that will be identified by the LGUs para masiguro natin na while we providing the necessary assistance, nasisiguro po natin na nami-mitigate ang pag-spread ng virus," the DSWD official said. (We just have to check the distribution strategies and distribution points that will be identified by the LGUs in order to ensure that the spread of the virus is mitigated while we are providing the necessary assistance.) She said a family food pack contains rice, assorted canned goods, coffee, and energy drink. "This is good for a family of five and is sufficient for two days. Pero tuloy-tuloy po ang pagbibigay natin sa mga LGUs para masustain itong assistance (We continuously give to the LGUs in order to sustain this assistance)." Dumlao said the DSWD, though the guidance of Malacañang, is now drafting the policies and guidelines for the social amelioration services to be delivered to people affected by the ECQ. "Likewise, pinag-aaralan po natin 'yung pagbibigay ng (we are also studying the grant of ) financial assistance and of course livelihood assistance grants to those belonging to the vulnerable sector," she said.