KORONADAL CITY — A delegation from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Cental Office were deployed for a four-day mission to assess the progress of agency’s anti-poverty programs in most impoverished parts of the region, a senior government official reported Thursday.

Cezario Joel Espejo, DSWD-12 regional director, said four teams were assigned separately in the towns of Maitum, Sarangani; Tupi, South Cotabato; Arakan and Aleosan, in North Cotabato, to also provide technical assistance among field-based workers as part of strengthening long-term interventions intended for identified extremely poor households. 

The support mission, led by Dir. Resituto Macuto of Sustainable Livelihood program, will specifically look into the development of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, KALAHI-CIDSS, SLP and other intervention that will help address social risks like unemployment, sickness, disability and old age.

According to Dir. Espejo, the government is continuously investing on programs designed to reduce poverty as it benefits not only the children, but also the entire families as well.

“It’s not an audit. The delegation will check how the programs were implemented on the ground and document some of lessons learned by the people in the community,” Dir Espejo said, adding each team will hold a focus group discussion with the beneficiaries.

In the town of Aleosan, town mayor Vicente Sorupia thanked the DSWD team, saying programs implemented in his municipality tremendously helped his extremely poor residents. 

“I hope the programs will continue. It has a big impact in the lives of our constituents,” Sorupia told the delegation during a courtesy call. (Jeoffrey Maitem and Hilbert Estacion / DSWD-12)