The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Caritas Philippines will soon embark on a formal partnership that aims to turn social welfare into development programs that will eventually make people self-sufficient.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday (January 22) met with Caritas Philippines, led by its executive director Fr. Tito Caluag, to explore ways on how to collaborate in various programs of the Department, including the Tara Basa! Tutoring Program, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs).

“The DSWD welcomes this long-overdue collaboration with Caritas Philippines which is known for its work among the poor and other vulnerable sectors of our society,” Secretary Gatchalian said after the meeting.

Caritas Philippines is a non-profit organization that serves as the lead social service and development ministry of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. The organization is geared towards total human development, poverty alleviation, and the creation of a Christian community with a strong social conscience.

Secretary Gatchalian said the DSWD’s Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program plans to partner with faith-based organizations (FBO) in implementing the program through a community-based setting. Initially, the plan is to pilot test the program in select indigent families and communities in the National Capital Region.

“Fr. Caluag said parishes may be tapped as a venue for the Tara, Basa sessions which will be conducted by the college students belonging to poor or low-income families, who will be capacitated as tutors or Youth Development Workers (YDWs),” the DSWD chief said.

The college student-tutors will teach elementary learners who are struggling or non-readers while YDWs will conduct the Nanay-Tatay Teacher session for the parents of the learners.

“The collaboration between DSWD and Caritas Philippines will go a long way in enabling elementary school students to enhance their reading and comprehension skills which is the main objective of the program,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

The Tara, Basa! program is a community-based social welfare and development program that aims to help elementary learners, who have difficulties learning how to read, to develop their foundational reading skills while offering short-term work for financially challenged tertiary level students.

Under Executive Order No. 76, the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program has been declared a flagship program to ensure the assistance of national and local government agencies in establishing a “collaborative learning program.”

Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, whose cluster includes the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, and Asst. Secretary Baldr Bringas, joined Secretary Gatchalian in the meeting with Caritas Philippines.

Undersecretary Vilma Cabrera and Asst. Secretary Marites Maristela of the 4Ps program and National Household Targeting Office (NHTO) were also present to discuss the First 1,000 Days (F1KD) cash grant, communal farming, and savings mobilizations among 4Ps beneficiaries.

The 4Ps F1KD cash grant is an additional financial assistance grant that aims to cover essential health and nutrition expenses during this critical period of a child’s life. It aims to provide monthly health grants worth Php350 to female 4Ps beneficiaries who are pregnant and households that have children from 0 to 2 years old.

During the meeting, Secretary Gatchalian presented the different initiatives of the DSWD to Fr. Caluag who expressed the Caritas’ commitment to partner in bringing social welfare and development services closer to the public.

“Our meeting also discussed engagements in providing vocational and technical skills to CRCF clients as part of their rehabilitation and capacity-building for eventual mainstreaming to the community,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

Undersecretary for Operations Monina Josefina Romualdez and Asst. Secretary Ada Colico gave the Caritas team a briefing on the status of DSWD-owned and managed CRCFs all over the country.#

 

Tagalog Version

DSWD, Caritas Phils magko-collab para tulungang maging self-sufficient mga benepisyaryo ng mga programa ng ahensya

Magtutulungan ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at Caritas Philippines upang humanap ng pamamaraan para gawing self sufficient ang ibang mga programa ng ahensya.

Sa ginanap na pagpupulong sa pagitan ni DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian at Caritas Philippines executive director Fr. Tito Caluag, nitong Miyerkules (January 22), magkakaroon ng collaboration para sa iba’t-ibang programa ng ahensya kabilang ang Tara Basa! Tutoring Program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) at centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs).

“The DSWD welcomes this long-overdue collaboration with Caritas Philippines which is known for its work among the poor and other vulnerable sectors of our society,” ayon kay Secretary Gatchalian, matapos ang pagpupulong.

Ang Caritas Philippines ay isang non-profit organization na nagsisilbing lead social service and development ministry ng Catholic Church sa Pilipinas. Ang nasabing organisasyon ay tumutuon sa human development, poverty alleviation, at pagtatag ng Christian community.

Sabi ni Secretary Gatchalian ang Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program ng DSWD ay planong makipag-partner sa faith-based organizations (FBO) para sa implementasyon ng programa sa pamamagitan ng community-based setting. Plano namang i-pilot test ang programa sa mga piling indigent families at komunidad sa National Capital Region.

“Fr. Caluag said parishes may be tapped as a venue for the Tara, Basa sessions which will be conducted by the college students belonging to poor or low-income families, who will be capacitated as tutors or Youth Development Workers (YDWs),” sabi pa ng DSWD chief.

Ang mga college student-tutors ang magtuturo sa mga batang magaaral sa elementarya na hirap at hindi marunong bumasa habang ang YDWs naman ang nakatutok sa Nanay-Tatay Teacher session para sa magulang ng mga magaaral.

“The collaboration between DSWD and Caritas Philippines will go a long way in enabling elementary school students to enhance their reading and comprehension skills which is the main objective of the program,” sabi pa ni Secretary Gatchalian.

Ang Tara, Basa! program ay isang community-based social welfare and development program na naglalayong tulungan ang mga elementary learners, na hirap sa pagaaral partikular na ang pagbabasa habang natutulungan din ng programa ang mga tertiary level students sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng short-term work.

Batay sa Executive Order No. 76, ang Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program ay idineklarang flagship program upang matiyak ang tulong mula sa national at local government agencies sa pamamagitan ng “collaborative learning program.”

Kasama ni DSWD Secretary Gatchalian sa nasabing pagpupulong sina Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, at Asst. Secretary Baldr Bringas.

Kabilang din si Undersecretary Vilma Cabrera at Asst. Secretary Marites Maristela ng 4Ps program at National Household Targeting Office (NHTO) sa miting upang pagusapan naman ang First 1,000 Days (F1KD) cash grant, communal farming, at savings mobilizations sa mga 4Ps beneficiaries.

Ang 4Ps F1KD cash grant ay dagdag na tulong pinansyal para sa health and nutrition expenses sa panahon ng pagbubuntis at pagkapanganak ng bata. Layon nito na mabigyan ng buwanang health grants na Php350 ang mga buntis na 4Ps beneficiaries na may mga anak na mula 0 hanggang edad dalawa.

“Our meeting also discussed engagements in providing vocational and technical skills to CRCF clients as part of their rehabilitation and capacity-building for eventual mainstreaming to the community,” sabi pa ni Secretary Gatchalian.# (MVC)