The Philippine government has taken significant steps in enhancing the country’s social protection systems in response to disasters while ensuring that no one is left behind, a senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Wednesday (October 16).
DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose Cajipe said the agency plays a pivotal role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, ensuring that the most vulnerable sectors of society—women, children, the elderly, and the poor— receive timely and appropriate assistance in times of crisis.
“Our country’s commitment to building resilience is reflected in DSWD’s integration of Adaptive Shock-Responsive Social Protection systems into its existing programs. This approach not only targets emergency relief but also proactively supports vulnerable populations to recover and build resilience against future shocks,” Undersecretary Cajipe said during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) panel discussion at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City,
Undersecretary Cajipe made the statement in response to a question on how the government of the Philippines is scaling up social protection systems to better respond to disasters and bolster disaster resilience of highly-vulnerable groups.
The DSWD official also mentioned Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) that is now part of the DSWD’s disaster-mitigation initiative.
“Now implemented nationwide, Project LAWA and BINHI has developed into a sustainable three-stage approach within a targeted yet inclusive climate change and risk mitigation strategy. Aiming to benefit partner-beneficiaries, with long-term solutions for water sufficiency and food security,” Undersecretary Cajipe said.
The Project LAWA and BINHI aims to enhance the capacities of local community members called partner-beneficiaries through a sustainable and proactive intervention to combat hunger, alleviate co-dependency, and lower community vulnerability by addressing food insecurity and water scarcity worsened by changing climate patterns that could lead to full-scale disasters.
During the two-day APMCDRR, the DSWD also reported the Comprehensive Emergency Program for Children (CEPC) as the basis of the government, child-focused civil society organizations (CSOs), and non-government organizations (NGOs) on their roles and responsibilities in handling disasters and emergencies upon the declaration of State of Calamity.
The CEPC is geared at helping children, children with special needs, pregnant and lactating mothers who are in most need of support for their immediate recovery during disasters,
Undersecretary Cajipe said the DSWD Social Protection Plan 2023-2028 includes capacitating child social welfare workforce in the regional and local levels and establishing standard child-friendly and gender-responsive evacuation centers and transitional shelters nationwide.
The DRMG official also discussed other programs and initiatives of the DSWD such as the Building on Social Protection for Anticipatory Action and Response in Emergencies and Disasters or the B-SPARED Pilot Project; Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC); Mobile Command Centers (MCC); and the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program.
“The Philippines is continuously making significant strides in enhancing its gender responsive and disability-inclusive disaster risk governance by strengthening collaboration with local and international partners, integrating anticipatory action mechanisms, using forecast-based financing and with continued innovations in adaptive shock responsive social protection systems to improve our disaster management framework that serves the most vulnerable communities, ensuring that all Filipinos are prepared and supported in times of crisis so that no one is left behind,” Undersecretary Cajipe pointed out.
This year’s APMCDRR was hosted by the Philippines from October 14 to 17 that brought together government agencies; intergovernmental, international, national civil society organizations; the private sector; science; academia; and stakeholder groups to provide a platform for regional collaboration in disaster risk reduction and resilience building. #
Tagalog Version
Anticipatory action initiatives ng DSWD, ibinida sa Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference
Ipinagmalaki ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ang mga programa at inisyatibo ng ahensya gamit ang Anticipatory Action (AA) approach, sa ginanap na Dialogue on Intergovernmental Organizations’ Cooperation on AA sa Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Pasay City nitong Lunes (October 14).
“In the Philippines, under the DSWD, we have two pilot projects namely Building on Social Protection for Anticipatory Action and Response in Emergencies and Disasters or B-SPARED Project which is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The other one is the child-centered anticipatory action which is in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),” sabi ni Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Leo Quintilla.
Ayon kay SAS Quintilla, na siya ding Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) ng National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), ang B SPARED Project ay isang AA pilot initiative na naglalayon na magbigay ng iba’t-ibang protective measures bago pa man tumama ang kalamidad.
Sa ilalim ng child-centered anticipatory action, ang DSWD at UNICEF ay maglalaan ng Php1,200 financial aid bawat household-beneficiaries ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) na nakatira sa Virac, San Andres, Baras, at Bato sa lalawigan ng Catanduanes; at sa mga munisipalidad ng Catarman, Catubig, Gamay, Mondragon at San Roque sa probinsya naman ng Northern Samar na apektado ng wind signal number 4 o higit pa bago pa man ito tamaan ng bagyo.
Ang Php1,200 cash aid ay maaaring gamitin ng mga household beneficiaries upang ipambili ng pagkain, pampagamot at pambili ng mga school supplies ng kanilang mga anak.
“For both projects, we have conducted a series of protocols. We already have protocols for typhoons, floods, and drought. The components of these projects include a multi-purpose cash and protection of livelihood. The projects also include the prepositioning of food and non-food items from the DSWD,”paliwanag pa ng NRLMB official.
Ang Dialogue on Intergovernmental Organizations’ Cooperation on AA ay parte ng Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024.
Para sa taong kasalukuyan, ang Pilipinas ang host ng APMCDRR, na sinimulan nitong October 14 at magtatagal hanggang October 17 at dinaluhan ng mga government agencies; intergovernmental, international, national civil society organizations; private sector; science; academia; stakeholder groups. #
