The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Eastern Visayas on Wednesday received various recognitions for its outstanding performance in implementing Social Technology (SocTech) programs this year. During the SocTech Expo 2024 in Quezon City, the SocTech Unit here was hailed third placer and bagged the Efficiency in Action Award for its innovative strategies and outstanding fund utilization that contributed to the excellent budget management of the department. The field office also received two other recognitions including the Innovation Achievement Award, as one of the regions with the highest number of pilot SocTech project sites; and the Transformative Innovations Award, for its outstanding performance in the implementation of the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program (TBTP) in Samar. The DSWD central office also recognized various local government units here including Samar Province, Tacloban City, and the municipalities of San Miguel and Basey in Leyte and Samar, respectively. Aside from TBTP, other SocTech programs implemented in the region include Pag-abot Program, Community GARDEnPH, and Project Link: Family Tracing and Reunification. #BawatBuhayMahalagaSaDSWD

𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐍𝐀𝐍: Nagsagawa ang Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 8 ng cash-for-work payout sa 214 benepisyaryo ng Risk Resiliency Program for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (RRP-CCAM) sa Catbalogan, Samar, kahapon, December 17. Ang bawat benepisyaryo mula sa barangay Albalate, Cagutian, Lobo, Palanyogon at Totoringon ay nakatanggap ng Php 3,750 katumbas ng sampung araw na pagtatanim ng punong kawayan (bamboo) sa mga watershed areas ng lugar. Layunin ng RRP-CCAM na paigtingin ang kakayahan ng mga pamayanan sa paglaban sa epekto ng Climate Change, kungkaya’t buo ang suporta ng ahensya sa mga inisyatibong tulad nito. Magpapatuloy ang payout sa iba pang lokal na pamahalaan sa probinsya ng Samar sa susunod na mga araw. #BawatBuhayMahalagaSaDSWD

With a record number of awardees of more than 500 employees, this year’s edition of the Programs on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence or PRAISE Awards came with much excitement as Usec. Alan A. Tanjusay, Undersecretary for Inclusive – Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns and the Vice-Chairperson of the National PRAISE Awards graced the awards rites held on December 05 at the historic People Center, Tacloban City. Usec. Tanjusay extended his congratulations, on behalf of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, to DSWD Field Office 8’s officials and employees who “demonstrated outstanding dedication and commitment in providing Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo” in the region. “Let us take a moment to celebrate the excellent performance and invaluable contributions of all the officials (and) personnel of FO8, led by your Regional Director Grace Q. Subong,” Usec. Tanjusay remarked. He also noted the successful implementation of innovative programs like the Walang Gutom Program, Tara! Basa Tutoring Program, and Project LAWA at BINHI and the roles of officials in fostering positive and long-term effects to underprivileged communities and individuals in the region. “To all the nominees and awardees, thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty,” he said, emphasizing their significant role in delivering social welfare services and uplifting the lives of the most vulnerable kababayans. He further encouraged the awardees to “remain inspired” as they continue carrying out timely and compassionate interventions for Eastern Visayas. The PRAISE Awards, an annual recognition program managed by the PRAISE Regional Committee, aims to encourage and reward exceptional performance by DSWD employees. It also showcases best practices within the field office. Regional awardees automatically qualify for nomination to the National PRAISE Awards. #BawatBuhayMahalagaSaDSWD

𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙉𝘼𝙉: Umabot sa mahigit kumulang 3,600 na mga benepisaryo ang nakatanggap ng food baskets na nagkakahalaga ng P3,000.00 sa ginawang ‘Redemption Day’ sa iba’t ibang parte ng Eastern Visayas. Ito ang isa sa pangunahing prayoridad ng Walang Gutom Program, isang flagship program ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr na layunin ang labanan ang inboluntaryong gutom at malnutrisyon sa bansa. Ang mga benepisyaryo ay nakatanggap ng P3,000 na food credits na kanila namang gagamitin sa pagbili ng pagkain sa mga DSWD-accredited retailers sa araw ng Redemption, sa kanilang mga munisipalidad. Kinakailangan na nahahati sa tatlong (3) food groups ang nilalaman ng food baskets, kung saan dapat nagkakahalaga ng P1,500.00 ang go foods, P900.00 ang grow foods, at P600.00 ang mga glow foods. Lahat ng mga benepisyaryo ay nasuri gamit ang Walang Gutom Indicator Tool at KYC, at ang listahan naman ay galing mismo sa DSWD Central Office. Patuloy naman ang ginagawang verification at validation ng ating mga Angels in Red Vests sa bawat probinsiya ng Rehiyon 8. Umabot sa P10M ang halaga ng mga nasabing food baskets na ipinamahagi sa 3,658 na mga benepisyaryo. #WalangGutomProgram#SaBagongPilipinasWalangGutom#BawatBuhayMahalagaSaDSWD

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 8 honored its employees during the recently-held Programs on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence or PRAISE Awards. During the PRAISE, DSWD recognized the efforts, achievements and contributions of its staff, including 427 contractual or permanent and 19 cost-of-service employees who received Loyalty and Service awards respectively for rendering ten or more years of service, 22 who completed postgraduate degrees, and 12 Character Awardees who displayed exemplary character. Aside from these, DSWD also recognized top performers, both from the individual and group categories. The PRAISE Awards is an annual event which aims to encourage creativity, innovativeness, efficiency, integrity, and productivity in the public service through recognition and the rewarding of employees who exemplify DSWD’s core values of Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo, Mahusay, and Tapat na Paglilingkod na Walang Puwang sa Katiwalian. #BawatBuhayMahalagaSaDSWD

Sa loob lamang ng 77 na araw, matagumpay na naipatayo ang isang Multi-Purpose Building sa Brgy. Amagusan, Anahawan, Southern Leyte bilang KALAHI-CIDSS Subproject at pormal nang naiturn-over sa komunidad noong ika-12 ng Disyembre 2024. Sa pamamagitan ng Community-Driven Development at katuwang ang Municipal at Barangay Local Government Unit ng nasabing lugar, Municipal at Area Coordinating Teams, naisakatuparan ng mga community volunteers ang kanilang adhikain na magkaroon ng pasilidad sa kanilang barangay na makatutulong upang mas mapadali ang pagbibigay-serbisyo sa mga mamamayan. Sa ginanap na turn-over ceremony, binigyang-diin ng Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Group ng Brgy. Amagusan na pagtutuunan nila ng pansin ang wastong pagpapanatili at kaayusan ng pasilidad para tiyakin ang pangangalaga nito. Tinatayang aabot sa Php 4,332,961.53 ang kabuuang halaga ng nasabing subproject kung saan mayroong Php 45,000.00 na Local Counterpart Contribution mula sa BLGU ng Amagusan. #MagKalahiTayoPilipinas#BawatBuhayMahalagaSaDSWD

Ginawaran ng parangal ang DSWD Eastern Visayas sa ginanap na Sidlak Awards ng Provincial Government of Northern Samar noong ika-apat ng Disyembre ngayong taon. Ito ang pinaka-unang edisyon ng Sidlak Awards na inilunsad sa pangunguna ng Food Security and Sustainable Economic Development (FSSED) Cluster. Layunin ng Sidlak Awards na kilalanin ang kontribusyon ng mga lokal na negosyante, mga partner agencies at stakeholders sa pagpapaunlad ng mga komunidad at ekonomiya ng Northern Samar. Ginawaran din ng parangal ang Tulay sa Kaunlaran Sustainable Livelihood Program Association ng Pambujan, Northern Samar bilang isa sa Most Outstanding Community-based Enterprise. Pinangunahan ni Governor Edwin Ongchuan at Bureau of Investment Director Ernesto Delos Reyes, Jr. ang nasabing aktibidad. #BawatBuhayMahalagaSaDSWD#SustainableLivelihoodProgram#SulongKabuhayanTungoSaPagyabong