Labeling the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as the "compassion central" of the government, he urged them to treat the disadvantaged and vulnerable sectors with kindness at all times.

Speaking at the 73rd founding anniversary of the agency on Friday, Jan. 12, Marcos regarded the employees of the DSWD as the "country’s social welfare forces" expected to always serve Filipinos with care as they put them out of harm's way.

"You are the country’s social welfare forces, always on red alert in a country where distress calls from disaster victims and disadvantaged sectors never end," Marcos said.

"As you put our people out of harm’s way and onto the road of recovery and a better life, always serve your clientele with care and compassion as you have been doing," he added.

The President told them that prompt service must be coupled with sincerity and compassion, which, he said, could give the vulnerable Filipinos hope.

"Treat them with kindness, with understanding and compassion because that care is a hallmark of public service as well. Empathy goes a long way. Empathy that you have demonstrated very clearly in this past year," he said.

Marcos stressed that the poor, needy, sick, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) must have the "access ramps" to government services, adding that the government must not turn a blind eye or deaf ears on the pleas of the people.

The Chief Executive also urged the DSWD not just to continue its work in providing help and services to the people, but to also uphold the DSWD brand of public service.

In his speech, he commended the agency for extending its role from disaster response to feeding programs and education efforts with the Department of Education (DepEd).

"What we have done is we have extended the mission of the DSWD to go to the roots of why they have been put in that category of being poor, of suffering poverty, of being undernourished, and undereducated," Marcos said.