Amid the risk and challenges faced daily by individuals and families in street situations, a group of dedicated and resilient social workers from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have emerged bringing them hope and opportunity to live safely and comfortably with their family members in their respective communities.

Rain or shine, day or night, these social workers untiringly conduct reach-out operations in Metro Manila to fulfill the goals of the DSWD project, the Oplan Pag-Abot, in rebuilding lives and reintegrating individuals on the streets back into their families and communities.

Among the passionate and compassionate newly-hired social workers of the DSWD who work on a shifting basis are Berverly De Villa, Jessa Palanca, and Jennivieve Dal. They may be new to the team, but, they all committed themselves to the mission of making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable through the Oplan Pag-Abot.

Oplan Pag-Abot, an initiative of the DSWD under the stewardship of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, is a crucial effort of the national government aimed at reaching out to families and individuals staying or residing in vulnerable conditions on the streets of Metro Manila and providing them with the support and appropriate interventions.

‘Restoring’ the lives of individuals in street situations

Berverly, a licensed social worker who has been in practice for eight years now, decided to join the Pag-Abot team as a challenge but, at the same time, as a fulfillment of her career in social work.

“Nung nalaman ko na merong Oplan Pag-Abot, talagang ni-ready ko na personally po yung sarili ko na makaka-encounter ng mga new stories,” Berverly said as she pointed out that reach out operations would be very different from her previous job in a hospital setting.

(When I learned about Operation Outreach, I personally prepared myself to encounter new stories.)

A native of Palawan province, Berverly saw how people in Metro Manila go about their lives and was enlightened on the many reasons why some families and individuals stayed on the streets despite the noise and the risk on their health and security.

“Pero with the help of the Pag-Abot, napa-process… ang mga social workers, napa-process po ‘yung kanilang, ‘yung parang sa term po naming restoring yung functions nila, rebuilding ‘yung kanilang being, kung ano po talaga ‘yung purpose ng family, ano po ‘yung purpose nila,” Berverly explained.

(With the help of Oplan Pag-Abot, the social workers can process and restore the functions of the individuals. We aim to rebuild their well-being and understand the true purpose of the family and their own purpose.)

Despite initial apprehensions and fears, Berverly perseveres in the program’s mission to convince and provide these individuals with a chance at a better life.

“During the reach out, it is very fulfilling po as a professional rin po na maka-reintegrate ng mga street families, street individuals to their receiving families,” Berverly happily said.

(During the outreach, it is very fulfilling as a professional to reintegrate street families and individuals into their receiving families.)

Since the program started in July, some 441 unattached individuals and 310 family members (counted as individuals) from 14 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila have been reached out by the DSWD’s Oplan Pag-Abot team.

Under the program, families and individuals reached-out by the team are brought to the designated processing centers to assess them and to determine what interventions will be provided. Most of them are referred to DSWD-run centers and residential care facilities, concerned LGUs, and other government services.

Interventions may include medical assistance, food support, transportation and relocation aid, livelihood opportunities, transitory family support packages, emergency financial assistance, and transitory shelter assistance.

A Listening heart

One of the most important aspects of the DSWD’s reach-out operations is the way social workers build relationships with the individuals on the streets through listening.

For Jessa, who has been in social work practice since 2018, the key to successful reach-out operations is the social workers’ empathy for each individual they face, talk with, and encounter on the streets.

“Parang likas na rin po sa social worker sa amin po is yung empathy talaga,” Jessa noted.

(Empathy is natural for us social workers.)

With her previous experience in the LGU of Quezon City, she can easily listen with not only her ears but also with her heart, understanding the stories and struggles behind the situation of elderly, abandoned, neglected, and physically abused individuals.

“We always put yung sarili namin sa kalagayan ng ibang tao kahit hindi namin nararanasan kung anong nararanasan nila… Iiintindihin namin ‘yon, without judgement,” Jessa pointed out.

(We always put ourselves in the shoes of others, even if we have not experienced what they have… We try to understand without judgment.)

It is through an empathetic approach that the social workers of the DSWD were able to gain the trust and cooperation of individuals accustomed to life on the streets. As fear and skepticism often hinder the acceptance of help, the Oplan Pag-Abot has also changed the perception of street families and individuals on outreach operations, demonstrating the intent of the department to bridge government services.

Bridging individuals on the street to gov’t services

“As a social worker, it is a fulfilling job kasi we build, we are bridging individuals or families sa kanilang families,” shared Jennivieve.

(As a social worker, it is a fulfilling job because we help build and bridge individuals or families back to their families.)

With her three years of experience, Jennivieve has witnessed the vital role played by social workers in delivering basic social services and reintegrating individuals into their families and communities where they really belong.

“We need to introduce the program, pati ‘yong mga services na meron tayo para at least alam na nila kung saan sila pupunta in the future,” she emphasized.

(We also need to introduce the program and the services we offer, so they know where they can turn to in the future.)

According to Jennivieve, the rights-based approach of the Oplan Pag-Abot helps them in implementing the program effectively, particularly in convincing more street individuals and families to be reintegrated.

“Hindi ito kagaya ng mga reach out operations in the previous years, kung saan nakikita ang presence ng authority, uniformed personnel,” she said.

(This is different from previous reach-out operations where the presence of authority and uniformed personnel was evident.)

The team of social workers is being joined by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Metro Manila LGUs, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) during the reach-out operations to ensure smooth implementation of the Oplan Pag-Abot project while emphasizing a human-centered approach.

Berverly, Jessa, and Jennivieve are among the more than 40 social workers and personnel of the DSWD who work tirelessly day in, and day out, to fulfill the goal of the Oplan Pag-Abot in successfully reaching out street families and individuals and in providing them with the necessary and appropriate interventions, offering a chance for a brighter future.

Their perseverance, dedication, and empathy redefine outreach operations, turning it into an opportunity for restoration, rebuilding, and reintegration, one life at a time. #