Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Monday (September 16) told senators that the agency will be able to extend more responsive programs and services to the poor, marginalized and disadvantaged sectors with the proposed budget of over Php229 billion for 2025.

“Around 50 percent of our budget actually is in the 4Ps, as it is the biggest conditional development investment the government is making to uplift the lives of the poor to break into generational poverty,” the DSWD chief said before the Senate Committee on Finance chaired by Senator Imee Marcos.

The DSWD is proposing almost half of the agency’s budget for the 4Ps program that is currently benefiting around 4.3 million household-beneficiaries.

Based on the 2025 proposed DSWD budget, the agency will start implementing the “First 1000-day grant” which will extend additional cash grants to 4Ps beneficiaries who are pregnant and nursing mothers to ensure the health and nutrition of their children during the critical first 1,000 days.

Aside from the 4Ps, the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SocPen) is also one of the programs with the highest budget allotment with a proposed funding of Php49.8 billion

This amount will cover the grants for the 4.85 million identified indigent seniors in the country, according to the DSWD chief.

“The SocPen Program, which provides regular financial assistance to elderly Filipinos living below the poverty line is subject to further qualifications provided in the law. In 2023, we successfully served 4.2 million indigent senior citizens, exceeding our target by 3.2 percent,” Secretary Gatchalian explained.

To further address the needs of the vulnerable sectors, Secretary Gatchalian said Php35.1 billion will be directed to the agency’s social services for individuals and families in difficult situations.

“This will allow us to expand the reach and enhance our services,” the DSWD Secretary said.

The budget will cover the various services under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) which include medical, burial, food, transportation, and cash assistance.

Under the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), the agency is eyeing Php5.1 billion to fund feeding programs for children in Child Development Centers (CDC) and Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) under the supervision of the local government units (LGUs).

Secretary Gatchalian told senators that the financial allocation for the agency’s 76 centers and residential care facilities that provide protection, rehabilitation and care for the disadvantaged sectors of different categories.

“We have Php2.9 billion for 2025 to enhance the quality of care provided in our facilities. This budget will support the continued operation of our CRCFs and the implementation of necessary improvements,” the DSWD chief said during the Senate finance committee’s budget deliberation.

To sustain the agency’s disaster preparedness and response efforts, the DSWD is proposing Php 1.9 billion for its Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Program (DRRP), which will cover the operational costs of the Department’s disaster risk reduction programs, as well as its countermeasure initiatives to climate change.

Secretary Gatchalian said the DSWD is proposing Php1.2 billion for the Quick Response Fund (QRF) to assure the unhampered relief operations in disaster areas.

“To ensure continued preparedness and effective response to future disasters, the DSWD requests the support of the committee in maintaining adequate funding for the QRF and carefully review the proposed special provision for 2025 to avoid restrictions that may put us in a bind and hamper the swift delivery of response should disasters happen,” Secretary Gatchalian explained.

At the end of his budget presentation, the DSWD Secretary thanked the members of the committee for the opportunity to discuss the agency’s proposed budget for 2025.

“The budget we have presented outlines our commitment to serving the most vulnerable Filipinos through programs that address poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and disaster risk,” the DSWD chief said. #

Tagalog Version

Panukalang 2025 DSWD budget, mas maraming kapus-palad na matutulungan

Maraming kapuspalad na Pilipino ang magbe-benepisyo sa panukalang Php229billion DSWD budget para sa 2025.

Ito Inihayag ni Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian sa ginanap na budget hearing ng Senate Committee on Finance na pinamumunuan ni Senator Imee Marcos nitong Lunes (Sept 16).

“Around 50 percent of our budget actually is in the 4Ps, as it is the biggest conditional development investment the government is making to uplift the lives of the poor to break into generational poverty,” sabi ng DSWD chief.

Iminumungkahi ng ahensya na ilaan ang halos kalahati ng pondo ng DSWD para sa 4Ps program kung saan umaabot sa 4.3 million household-beneficiaries ang nakikinabang sa programa.

Base sa 2025 proposed DSWD budget, sisimulan na ng ahensya ang implementasyon ng “First 1000-day grant”, isa itong additional cash grants para sa mga 4Ps beneficiaries na buntis at nagpapasusong ina. Ang karagdagang benepisyong ito ay ibibigay upang matiyak na malusog ang ina at sanggol nito sa panahon ng pagbubuntis hanggang halos 3 taon.

Bukod sa 4Ps, ang Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SocPen) ay kabilang din sa mga programa ng DSWD na may malaking budget allotment na Php49.8 billion, kung saan sakop ng nasabing halaga ang grants para sa 4.85 million identified indigent seniors sa bansa.

“The SocPen Program, which provides regular financial assistance to elderly Filipinos living below the poverty line is subject to further qualifications provided in the law. In 2023, we successfully served 4.2 million indigent senior citizens, exceeding our target by 3.2 percent,” sabi pa ni Secretary Gatchalian.

Gayundin, upang matugunan ang iba pang pangangailangan ng mga nabibilang sa bulnerableng sektor, sinabi ng Kalihim na maglalaan din ang ahensya ng Php35.1 billion para sa social services naman ng mga indibidwal o pamilya na nasa delikadong sitwasyon.

“This will allow us to expand the reach and enhance our services,” paliwanag pa ng DSWD Secretary .

Sinabi pa ng DSWD chief na ang proposed budget ay ilalaan din sa iba pang serbisyo na nasa ilalim ng Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) kabilang na ang medical, burial, food, transportation, at cash assistance.

Sa ilalim naman ng Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), nais ng ahensya na maglaan ng Php5.1 billion para sa feeding programs for children in Child Development Centers (CDC) at Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) sa ilalim naman ng pangangalaga ng local government units (LGUs).

Samantala, sinabi ni Secretary Gatchalian sa mga senador na maglalaan din ng financial allocation ang ahensya para sa 76 centers and residential care facilities nito na nagbibigay ng protection, rehabilitation at pangangalaga para sa disadvantaged sectors.

“We have Php2.9 billion for 2025 to enhance the quality of care provided in our facilities. This budget will support the continued operation of our CRCFs and the implementation of necessary improvements,” sabi pa ng DSWD chief.

At upang mapanatili naman ang disaster preparedness and response efforts ng DSWD, nagbigay ng proposal ang ahensya ng Php 1.9 billion para sa Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Program (DRRP). Sakop nito ang operational costs ng disaster risk reduction programs, at maging ang countermeasure initiatives nito sa climate change.

Sabi pa ng DSWD chief, may proposal din ang ahensya ng paglalaan ng Php1.2 billion para sa Quick Response Fund (QRF) upang matiyak ang patuloy na relief operations sa mga lugar na may kalamidad.

“To ensure continued preparedness and effective response to future disasters, the DSWD requests the support of the committee in maintaining adequate funding for the QRF and carefully review the proposed special provision for 2025 to avoid restrictions that may put us in a bind and hamper the swift delivery of response should disasters happen,”dagdag pa ni Secretary Gatchalian.

Kaugnay nito, nagpasalamat ang DSWD Secretary sa mga myembro ng komite, sa oportunidad na maipaliwanag ang proposed budget ng ahensya.

“The budget we have presented outlines our commitment to serving the most vulnerable Filipinos through programs that address poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and disaster risk,” sabi ng DSWD chief. #