Marcos to DSWD: Continue serving with care, compassion

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to continue serving the public with care and compassion.

Marcos made the call during his speech at the 73rd anniversary celebration of the agency in Quezon City.

"Inaasahan kong hindi lamang ninyo ipagpapatuloy kung hindi pag-iibayuhin pa ang tatak DSWD sa paglilingkod (I expect that you will not just continue but further improve DSWD's way of serving). You are the country's social welfare forces. Always on red alert in a country where distress calls from disaster victims and disadvantaged sectors never end," Marcos said. 
 
"As you put our people out of harm’s way, and on to the road to recovery and a better life, always serve your clientele with care and compassion as you have been doing," he added.

Marcos called on the DSWD to treat the poor and the vulnerable with kindness, understanding, and compassion because "that care is a hallmark of public service as well, empathy goes a long way."

He noted that DSWD has clearly demonstrated empathy in the past year, and that Congress increased the department's 2024 budget to P245 billion from last year's P196.5 billion.
 
Marcos said that due to the increase, "the agency will be running a payroll operation bigger than that of the government."

Command center, project launched
 
During the same event, the DSWD launched its 24/7 Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) as well as the Buong Bansa Handa Project.

According to DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez, the launching of the DRCC and the Buong Bansa Handa is in line with Marcos' directive to accelerate the provision of services to disaster-affected families to ensure that no one is left behind in times of emergencies.

"These significant milestone initiatives underscore the Department's unwavering commitment to continuously enhance its capabilities in line with its leadership role in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Response and Early Recovery Pillar,” Lopez said in a press release. 

"The inauguration of the DRCC and the launch of the Buong Bansa Handa Project will set the stage for a more resilient and proactive approach to disaster management, led by the DSWD," he added. —KBK, GMA Integrated News