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Secretary Gatchalian witnesses the social rehabilitation class at the National Vocational Rehabilitation Center (right photo) and the production of garment items by persons with disabilities at the Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshop (left photo) on February 7, 2023.The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to improve the operations of agency-run residential and non-residential care facilities nationwide to serve its purpose of catering to more vulnerable clients. 
Secretary Gatchalian witnesses the social rehabilitation class at the National Vocational Rehabilitation Center (right photo) and the production of garment items by persons with disabilities at the Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshop (left photo) on February 7, 2023.The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to improve the operations of agency-run residential and non-residential care facilities nationwide to serve its purpose of catering to more vulnerable clients.

This is in line with the assurance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that there will be available funds for the continued operation of some 70 residential care centers and seven non-residential care centers intended for vulnerable sectors and persons with disabilities who are in dire need of shelter.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier ordered the re-assessment and re-tooling of operations and mechanisms of the 64 existing residential care facilities of the DSWD in 16 regions and seven non-residential care facilities in National Capital Region, Ilocos, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and  SOCCSKSARGEN regions.
The re-tooling of the DSWD-run centers is part of the current administration’s efforts to make people feel the compassion of the government, according to Secretary Gatchalian.
“Kung tayo ay sasagip…, hindi naman pwede na hindi nila maramdaman ang kalinga. Dapat ay sapat at maayos ang titirahan,” the DSWD chief said during his visit to some agency-run centers in Metro Manila earlier this year.
(If we are to save, we need to make sure that they will feel our compassion. The residential care centers should be livable and comfortable.)
Part of the improvements being undertaken by the DSWD is ensuring that these centers are in good running condition and have adequate personnel to properly respond to the needs of its clients.
During the second semester of 2022, which covered the first six months of the Marcos administration, the DSWD recorded some 2,979 new clients served by various centers nationwide, contributing to the 9,068 total clients served during the year.
For the first half of 2023, DSWD-operated facilities already served  7,139 clients, representing more than 60 percent of the 8,782 full-year targets.
The DSWD residential and non-residential care facilities continue to provide protection and rehabilitation to vulnerable and disadvantaged children, youth, women, senior citizens, persons with disability, other individuals, and families in crisis.
Secretary Gatchalian committed to visiting and checking these centers to oversee the living conditions of the different sectors that they serve, as well as to ensure that initial efforts to improve the facilities will redound to the benefit of target clients.#