DSWD, civic group ink deal to boost anti-poverty programs

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, in a live-streamed ceremony, noted the grave effects of climate change on everyone especially to ‘poor people’. (File photo by Ramon FVelasquez/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and civic group Moving Urban Poor Communities towards Resilience (Move Up) Philippines signed on Friday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen the campaign against poverty.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, in a live-streamed ceremony, noted the grave effects of climate change on everyone especially to ‘poor people’.

“The disasters that climate change induces creates unprecedented challenges to the most vulnerable and marginalized segment of the population worsens the poverty they suffer from. DSWD as the lead agency in social protection acknowledges the need for the implementation of people-centered, culture-driven, and gender-sensitive risk reduction and management measures. It would help reduce the impacts of extreme weather conditions on the poor and vulnerable sectors of society,” he said in his speech.

He added that the partnership aims to promote a strengthened resiliency and disaster risk management and climate change adaptation providing free voluntary technical support and assistance from the Move-Up consortium.

The consortium is composed of the Action Against Hunger Philippines, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Plan International, and ACCORD Incorporated.

Bautista said the pact would shoulder assistance to DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) in developing resilient livelihood including protection of assets, through microfinance insurance, market diversification, and strengthening strategies.

It will also prioritize the Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB) in developing alternative temporary shelter (ATS) housing models for disaster resilience.

This would also include the development of learning modules and knowledge products on increasing disaster-resilient livelihoods for urban poor beneficiaries.