The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 7, through its Social Marketing Section (SMS), conducted the Information Officers Forum in the four provinces in the region to share the agency’s accomplishments, updates, and innovation projects with the public information officers’ network.

Information Officers from local government units and other national government agencies participated in the forums.

The SMS, which is responsible for communicating the agency’s programs and services, took the lead in sharing with them DSWD’s accomplishments in 2023, which cover programs like 4Ps, KALAHI-CIDSS, Sustainable Livelihood Program, Social Pension, and AICS, among others, that benefit over 2.3 million beneficiaries with various social welfare programs.

Moreover, DSWD 7 presented disaster response programs such as Project LAWA at BINHI, which responds to the continuing effects of climate change, augmentation response to the El Nino phenomenon, and prepositioning of food and non-food items in different areas in the region.

Buong Bansa Handa project was also highlighted by showing DSWD’s proactive response to calamities and disasters, such as the Kanlaon phreatic eruption which the Department was able to send humanitarian assistance at the onset by deploying a mobile command center, prepositioning of relief goods, and showing the agency’s commitment to be the first on-site and last to leave mantra of “Bawat Buhay Mahalaga” through camp coordination and management.

It also introduced innovation projects that aim to contribute to a single-digit poverty incidence by 2028, namely, Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program, Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, and Pag-abot Program, during the forum.

Participants had a glimpse of the DSWD campaign that highlights the dedication of social and development workers called Angels in Red Vests in the pursuit of helping the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable sectors with their extra love and extra care.

In her message, Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero called on the participants to become DSWD advocates and influencers who will make the public better understand and make informed decisions. “By tapping you as our partners, we are confident that we will be able to address misinformation and disinformation prevalent in our communities,” she said.

The Regional Alternative for Child Care Office (RACCO) 7 also joined the information sharing in the last leg of the Information Officers Forum which took place in the province of Siquijor to share RA 11642 or the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act and the programs and services of the newly created attached agency of DSWD, the National Authority for Child Care (NACC).

By communicating and advocating for correct information, the forum serves as a venue for the public and stakeholders to trust the national government to put its resources in the right place. ###

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