As festive lights begin to brighten Davao Region, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is ramping up efforts to support its most vulnerable residents. The agency's regional office has significantly intensified its flagship Pag-Abot Program, a critical initiative aimed at assisting families and individuals living in street situations across Davao's provinces and cities.
Reaching the Vulnerable: Program Reach and Beneficiary Profile
According to Nerjaya Mohammad, a social worker officer with DSWD-Davao, the program has already provided support to 124 beneficiaries as of November. The assistance has been distributed across the region, with the majority coming from Davao del Sur and Davao City (62 individuals), followed by Davao del Norte (28), Davao de Oro (21), and Davao Oriental (13).
Mohammad explained that a significant portion of those helped are homeless families who lost their dwellings due to disasters like fires or flooding. The program also reaches out to Indigenous Peoples (IPs) who often resort to begging in urban centers, especially during the Christmas season. "Our brothers and sisters who are IPs prefer to beg for alms, especially now that it’s the Christmas season," she noted in a mix of English and Cebuano.
Interestingly, the social worker revealed that some beneficiaries actually have homes but choose to sleep on the streets in areas like Magallanes, Buhangin, Ulas, and Agdao, citing difficult living conditions as their primary reason.
A Coordinated and Compassionate Approach
The Pag-Abot Program's strategy is built on coordination and validation. DSWD-Davao conducts regular meetings with local government units (LGUs) and performs environmental scanning and ocular visits to confirm the presence of families in street situations. This groundwork is essential for effective intervention.
Following identification, the agency facilitates dialogues and planning sessions that bring together the Philippine National Police (PNP), LGUs, and City Social Welfare and Development Offices (CSWDOs). This ensures a unified, regional operation. Beneficiaries are then oriented on the comprehensive services available to them.
A cornerstone of the program is its case management system, which tailors services to individual needs while preparing families for sustainable reintegration into their communities. Financial assistance can reach up to P10,000 per beneficiary, covering basic necessities during the transition period or while awaiting reintegration support.
Public Appeal: Support Programs, Not Mendicancy
Mohammad strongly emphasized that participation in the Pag-Abot Program is entirely voluntary. "We just convince them, but we do not compel them," she stated. The approach is one of persuasion and offering a better alternative, not coercion.
She also made a direct appeal to the public, urging Dabawenyos to refrain from giving alms directly to street beggars. She stressed that such acts, while well-intentioned, often perpetuate the cycle of mendicancy. Instead, she encouraged citizens to support structured, long-term solutions by channeling their compassion through official programs like Pag-Abot.
Officially launched in the region in April, the Pag-Abot Program continues to provide holistic support, blending immediate relief with strategies for long-term stability. It stands as a key component of DSWD's mission to protect vulnerable sectors, proving especially vital as the region navigates the complexities of the holiday season.
