An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported on Thursday (November 28) that more than 2,800 individuals in street situations have returned to their homes or places of origin through the agency’s Pag-abot Program.

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, the DSWD’s spokesperson, said this number represents the majority of the individuals in street situations who have been reached out since the pilot of the Pag-abot Program last year.

“Based on our November 27 data, out of the 3,544 individuals we have reached out to, the majority of them, or 2,938 individuals to be exact, have been reintegrated to their places of origin,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao said.

Under the Pag-abot Program, the agency reaches out to children, families, and individuals from street situations and provides them with a package of social protection services corresponding to their needs.

The ultimate goal is their reintegration into their respective hometowns or places of origin, according to the Pag-Abot team.

Services include but are not limited to medical assistance, food support, transportation and relocation aid, livelihood opportunities, transitory family support packages, emergency financial assistance, and transitory shelter assistance.

“It takes a lot of hands on the deck and provision of assistance to escort our kababayans out of the dangers of the street. However, there is no better motivation than seeing our efforts come to fruition as we collaborate closely with our partner agencies and local government units (LGUs) in implementing our program,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.

Catherine Ubina and her common-law partner, Mark Arman Santiago, were successfully reintegrated into their place of origin in Cagayan Valley, after years of living on the streets of Metro Manila.

After her job application abroad was rejected, Catherine decided to live on the streets and improve her situation by earning income through scavenging and begging.

In September 2024, the social workers of the Pag-abot Program contacted the couple in the City of Manila and brought them to the program’s Processing Center in Pasay City.

Sheltered in the Pag-abot Processing Center, the couple received basic support for their daily needs and financial assistance before their reintegration in Cagayan on November 5.

They are now residing in the house of Catherine’s mother in Barangay Annafunan East in Tuguegarao, Cagayan where they started a small business selling barbeque and other products.

The family is set to continue receiving support as necessary while being jointly monitored by the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) of Annafunan East to ensure their successful reintegration into the community.

Assistant Secretary Dumlao assured that like Catherine, individuals and families reached out by the Pag-Abot Program receive comprehensive government support to help them rebuild their lives.

“Our efforts to lead our reached-out families and individuals into safety do not end with escorting them back to their communities. We are also converging with the members of the Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) to ensure that they have a comfortable life. We wouldn’t want them to return to the dangers of the streets,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.

The institutionalization of the Pag-abot Program through Executive Order (EO) No. 52 in January this year led to the creation the IAC for the program.

This committee aims to improve and unify the delivery of services to vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals in street situations by providing social safety nets.

Under the EO, the DSWD Secretary chairs the inter-agency committee, while the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is the vice chair.

The IAC is responsible for engaging and consulting with LGUs and other government agencies in formulating policies and implementing programs. It must coordinate and seek support from the private sector, relevant stakeholders, advocacy groups, and non-governmental organizations. # (LSJ)