March 7 to 8, 2024 – 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VIII, serving as the lead secretariat of the Social Welfare and Development Learning Network, convened a meeting on March 7 to 8, 2024 at Haiyan Hotel and resort, Tanauan, Leyte. The agenda included the establishment of the DSWD Academy and the standard operating procedure for providing resource persons to DSWD intermediaries and stakeholders.

The DSWD is mandated to provide assistance to LGUs, other Government Agencies, NGOs, POs, and other members of Civil Society in effectively implementing programs, projects and services that will enable all Filipinos to be free from hunger and poverty, have equal access to opportunities, enabled by a fair, just and peaceful society, as well as statutory and specialized programs which are directly lodged with the Department and not yet devolved to the LGUs.

In so doing, the DSWD FO8 recognizes the vital role of the Local Government Units (LGU), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Government Organizations (GOs), Academic institutions in responding to the needs of individuals, families, and communities.

In attaining said mandate of DSWD, the agency established a self-regulating learning network to maximize existing resources through the Social Welfare and Development Learning Network or SWDL-Net. Trough an inked Memorandum of Agreement, the NGAs, NGOs, Academic Institutions, and the Individual Member are willing to provide support and share their programs and services for the Social Welfare and Development Learning Network (SWDL-Net).

The SWDL-Net FO8 is currently Chaired by Ms. Maria Lourdes Dela Calzada, Civil Defense Officer III from the Office of Civil Defense, with Mr. Faustito A. Aure, Associate Professor V of Eastern Visayas State University serving as the Co-Chair.

Next meeting is expected to have a re-election of a new set of officers for the network.