Starting Wednesday, May 3, the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) satellite office in San Jose Del Monte (SJDM) City, Bulacan is ready to accept applicants from the city and nearby municipalities.
Courtesy of DSWD
The newly opened AICS center in Starmall Government Center will make the service accessible to residents of said and neighboring areas unlike before when they had to travel to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Office in Batasan, Quezon City to apply, the agency said in a statement.
The project was a partnership between DSWD and SJDM local government unit sealed through a memorandum of agreement that was signed during the opening ceremony.
"Secretary, I will assure you na hindi mahihirapan ang inyong Departamento dito, lahat ng pwede naming maging support sa DSWD, susuportahan ng city government (I will assure you that DSWD will get all the support from the city government)," said SJDM City Mayor Arthur Robes in his speech.
The event was also attended by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DSWD Undersecretary Monina Jose Romualdez, Assistant Secretary Uly Aguilar, and Vistareit Inc. General Manager Dino Francisco.
"Alam namin na paghihingi kayo ng tulong sa DSWD, lumuluwas pa kayo papunta sa Central Office sa Batasan, magastos, malayo kaya naisip namin ni Mayor Art na ang pinakamadali ay maglagay na tayo dito sa San Jose (We know that you had to commute to Central Office in Batasan when you need to request for assistance. It is far and costly, that is why, Mayor Art and I thought that putting up a satellite office in San Jose is the best remedy)," the DSWD chief stated.
He also thanked Robes for the city's assistance in providing supplies for the new AICS office as well as Starmall Management for giving free space in the mall.
First clients
One of the first clients of the new AICS center was cancer patient Geraldine Valmoria.
"Kaming mga patient na may cancer, hirap na hirap kasi nagugutuman kami, nagche-chemo pa kami. Ngayong may malapit na office hindi na kami mahirapan. (For cancer patients like us, it is very difficult because we get hungry as we are undergoing chemotherapy. With the satellite office, it is now more convenient for us)," she said, recalling her struggles traveling from her home in SJDM to Quezon City.
Meanwhile, 45-year-old Rolando Corbe from Barangay Sapang Palay said that the new office will make his access to medical assistance easier.
On April 27, DSWD also launched a satellite office in Monumento, Caloocan City for clients coming from the CAMANAVA areas and in Baclaran, Paranaque for the residents of southern Metro Manila.