Latest news with #Dumlao
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
DSWD issues cease and desist order vs. Pampanga orphanage over alleged abuse
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Monday that it has issued a cease and desist order against a child care facility in Mexico, Pampanga over alleged abuse of about 160 children. 'Isa sa mga isinagawa natin, of course based on the recommendation of our regional office Central Luzon, ay 'yun nga pong mag-issue ng cease and desist order. Ito pong cease and desist order ay actually nagbibigay ng pagkakataon din na magsagawa ng karagdagang investigation at makapag-provide din ng pagkakataon sa residential care center na magbigay ng eksplanasyon doon sa mga findings ng ating standards unit, at gayun din po ay mag-commit na kung ano man po yung makita ay ma-improve,' said DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao in Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. (One of the things we did, of course based on the recommendation of our Central Luzon regional office, was to issue a cease and desist order. This cease and desist order actually provides an opportunity to conduct further investigation and also gives the residential care center a chance to provide an explanation for the findings of our standards unit, and likewise, to commit to improving whatever issues are found.) The DSWD official warned that if the facility does not abide by the recommendations for improvements, its registration could be revoked and be blacklisted from the list of social welfare and development facilities. 'Kapag patuloy 'yung violation, hindi ma-improve yung facility pati yung management niyan, aside from the revocation of their registration and their license to operate, maarin din po silang ma-blacklist, matanggal doon po sa DSWD registry ng mga social welfare and development agencies, and of course, the closure and filing of appropriate cases,' said Dumlao. (If the violations continue, and the facility and its management don't improve, aside from the revocation of their registration and their license to operate, they could also be blacklisted, removed from the DSWD registry of social welfare and development agencies, and of course, face closure and the filing of appropriate cases.) The children in the facility reportedly experienced various kinds of maltreatment allegedly committed by their house parents as well as the director of the orphanage, such as being tied up with a thick metal chain, locked inside the bathroom and not given food to eat. The agency added that several of the children rescued last week have also filed charges against the director of the facility for the alleged abuses. 'In fact, ilan sa mga bata ay nag-file na rin po ng mga criminal charges against the director of the residential care facility for the alleged abuse committed against them,' said Dumlao. (In fact, some of the children have already filed criminal charges against the director of the residential care facility for the alleged abuse committed against them.) The American pastor, who serves as the director of the orphanage, is facing two counts for violation of the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. Each count carries a recommended bail of P80,000 each, according to the DSWD. The Bureau of Immigration has already placed him under the immigration watch list that will prevent him from leaving the country and will ensure his attendance to all the hearings, the DSWD earlier said. The bureau has also issued a commitment order dated August 15 directing the transfer of the pastor to the BI's Warden Facility in Bicutan, Taguig City. Aside from the abuses on children, the DSWD also flagged other lapses by the child care facility. 'Napansin po ng ating mga staff na walang mga kaukulang official receipts or acknowledgements ng mga donasyon na natatanggap nitong residential care center na ito. Kung makikita mo ang record nila, sila ay nago-operate based on donations,' said Dumlao. 'Mahalaga na may proper accounting ng mga donasyon na natanggap nila dahil bahagi 'yan ng transparency na isinusulong natin.' (Our staff noticed that there were no proper official receipts or acknowledgments for the donations received by this residential care center. If you look at their records, they operate based on donations. It's important to have proper accounting of the donations they receive because that's part of the transparency we're advocating for.) The department added that the facility lacks social workers and house parents. It also noted that the children share beds when the ideal situation is one bed per child. The facility was also deemed hazardous in times of emergency, Dumlao also pointed out. 'And then mayroon din tayong mga napansin na mga heavy chains, mga padlocks, may mga barb wires doon po sa gate at sa ibang daanan sa facility. Ito ay nagpo-pose ng significant risk sa mga residents especially in the event of an emergency,' she said. (We also noticed heavy chains, padlocks, and barbed wires on the gate and other pathways within the facility. These pose a significant risk to residents, especially in the event of an emergency.) The DSWD said the rescued children underwent psychosocial intervention following the traumatic experience. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
19-07-2025
- Climate
- GMA Network
DSWD: At least 4M worth of assistance given to families affected by Crising, Habagat
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday said at least P4.1 million worth of humanitarian aid was given to families affected by Severe Tropical Storm Crising and the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat). At a news forum in Quezon City, DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said that as of 6 a.m. Saturday, more than 68,000 families or 215,000 individuals in Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), MIMAROPA, 5 (Bicol Region), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), and 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) had been affected by the storm, with around 5,400 families staying in evacuation centers. Dumlao said that the DSWD has more than P2.9 billion in standby funds and stockpiles, composed of Quick Response Funds (QRF) and approximately 3 million family food packs prepositioned strategically across the country. 'Patuloy pa rin po 'yung production ng ating mga FFPs (family food packs) sa National Resource Operations Center (NROC) at sa Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC). Kung kaya nga po kung kinakailangan mag-replenish tayo ng mga stockpiles natin sa ating mga regional warehouses and in the last miles, agad po natin magagawa 'yan sapagkat tuloy-tuloy 'yung ating production sa ating mga major hubs,' she said. (Our production of FFPs continues at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) and the Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC). If we need to replenish our stockpiles in our regional warehouses and in the last miles, we can immediately do it because our production in our major hubs is ongoing. The DSWD official said that their Buong Bansa Handa program enabled rapid augmentation of resources through agreements with local government units and private organizations to use their warehouses for relief prepositioning. She added that with the mechanized packing system in DSWD's National Resource Operations Center in Pasay and Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Cebu, the production of FFPs increased from 5,000–10,000 manually packed boxes to 50,000 daily combined output. Each box of FFP has a barcode with a manufacturing date, expiry date, and designated area of destination, which prevents spoilage and ensures proper tracking, the DSWD said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
12-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
DSWD to register 750K 'food poor' families for Walang Gutom Program in 2026
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is targeting to register a total of 750,000 food-poor families for the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) by next year. "Right now, we're currently serving 300,000 households, and then before the end of the year, we're planning to add an additional 300,000, and then by next year, 150,000," said DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao in a Dobol B TV interview on Saturday. "Kinakailangan po natin mag-register ng karagdagan sa taon po na ito," Dumlao added. (We need to register more this year.) Dumlao said the 750,000 households were based on the list from DSWD and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Currently, the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), which highlights the P20 per kilo rice, is implemented only in Metro Manila, Cebu, and the CARAGA region, Dumlao said. Poor families in the BARMM are also set to be given priority, the DSWD spokesperson said. "Actually, bibigyan din sila ng prayoridad, Isinaayos lang 'yung specific areas, tapos 'yung number, and then tinignan din sino-sino 'yung accredited merchants. And then based naman po doon sa ating pakikipag-usap sa DA, bibilisan po na 'yung pag-supply doon sa bigas, doon sa ating mga merchants para ma-implement na po natin," she said. (Actually, they will be given priority, specific areas are being arranged, their number, and the accredited merchants. Based on our discussions with the DA, we will speed up the supply of rice to our merchants so that we can implement it.) Beneficiaries of the program may avail themselves of the P20 per kilo rice using their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, which is similar to a debit card loaded with P3,000 every month. —Jamil Santos/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
06-07-2025
- Climate
- GMA Network
P3B in aid ready for 2025 calamities — DSWD
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Sunday that it has P3 billion in standby funds and a prepositioned relief stockpile ready for calamities nationwide this year. 'Ito po ay magagamit natin para tutugon sa mga request ng iba't-ibang local government units (LGUs) na naapektuhan (this will be used to respond to the different requests of calamity-affected LGUs),' DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao told Super Radyo dzBB. She added that over three million family food packs are prepositioned in DSWD warehouses across the country, as well as in local government units (LGUs) and private organizations' warehouses. In a separate dzBB interview, the Office of Civil Defense reported over 3,700 families from the Ilocos Region (Region I), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Cagayan Valley (Region II) have been affected so far by Bising (international name: Danas). Dumlao said DSWD has provided aid to the affected residents, particularly in Benguet and Ilocos Sur. On Friday, Bising exited the PAR. It developed into a severe tropical storm on Saturday night and reached typhoon category on Sunday. PAGASA said Danas may re-enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by this evening or early Monday morning. At 11 p.m., Danas was observed 385 kilometers west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 km/h, and heading north northwestward at 10 km/h. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
01-07-2025
- Climate
- GMA Network
Food packs for stranded passengers eyed in new DSWD, PPA deal
The Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine Ports Authority signed an agreement aiming to provide ready-to-eat food packs to passengers who will be stranded in major and critical ports in the country during times of calamities. 'Ito ay upang matiyak na yung mga kababayan natin na hindi po makapaglayag ay mabibigyan ng immediate relief assistance. Itong mga ready-to-eat food packs natin ay ipe-preposition sa mga major and critical ports nang sa gayon yung mga pangangailangan sa pagkain ay matutugunan natin kapag may mga bagyo o disasters,' said DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. (This is to ensure that those who are unable to sail will be given immediate relief assistance. These ready-to-eat food packs will be prepositioned at major and critical ports so that we can instantly provide food in the event of typhoons or disasters.) The DSWD official said the food packs will be provided to stranded passengers in at least 25 ports nationwide, including the North Harbor in Manila. 'Ang istratehiya na ito ay isinagawa natin ay dahil kung matatandaan, last year sunod-sunod ang mga bagyo na naka-apekto sa ating bansa,' said Dumlao. (We implemented this strategy because, if you recall, last year, our country was hit by a series of typhoons.) Among the contents of the food pack are champorado, arroz caldo, tuna paella, chicken pastil, ground chicken, protein-rich biscuits, and complementary food for toddlers and breastfeeding moms. 'Hindi na kinakailangan na ipainit, hindi kinakailangan ng mainit na tubig. Pupunitin mo lang yung packs or i-open mo lang tin cans, you can consume it already,' said Dumlao, adding that utensils are also included in the pack. (No need to heat it or use hot water. Just tear the packs or open the tin cans, and you can consume it already.) The ready-to-eat foods in the pack were developed by the Department of Science and Technology's Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the DSWD added. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
