Assistance to the most needy

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THEY used to be called by the generic term “squatters” — the poorest of the poor who have no homes of their own and had to settle in public and private lands.  An even lower level in poverty range are the homeless: those who sleep on sidewalks and alleys, and together they are called “informal settlers.”

A clear indication that “the poor will always be with us” is the Marcos administration’s coining of another term for this group of Filipinos, “families or individuals in street situations” or FISS.

The use of this new term for the urban poor comes with the introduction of the government’s policy favoring a more coordinated, long-term approach to take them off the curb, into shelters, and eventually toward a more secure future.

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A Malacañang announcement said the Chief Executive has directed a multiagency effort to ensure the effective implementation of the social welfare Pag-abot Program aimed at taking homeless families, especially children, off the streets for their safety while offering them livelihood, relocation, and decent shelters.

‘This FISS program has a noble objective of helping Filipinos who are most in need, and if there is a government program that needs everyone’s support, this is it.’

It turned out that the President recognized the DSWD’s outreach program “Oplan Pag-abot” and wanted to institutionalize it as one of his administration’s anti-poverty measures.  This led to the issuance of Executive Order No. 52 issued on Jan. 18.

“The Pag-abot Program is hereby institutionalized as a platform for an enhanced and unified delivery of services to vulnerable and disadvantaged children, individuals, and families in street situations, through provision of social safety nets and protection against risks brought about by poverty,” President Marcos said in issuing EO 52.

Since the new program is a package of assistance to these families, ranging from financial aid, transportation and relocation, transitory shelter, livelihood, and employment, it is of prime importance that the government take hold of correct and reliable data on the FISS sector.

Also included are psychosocial support, capability building of communities and local government units, as well as community assistance, according to Malacañang.

Social Welfare Undersecretary Eduardo Punay said the Pag-abot Program was allocated P300 million for 2024, and some of the money would be used to profile around 5,000 FISS this year.  This is not enough to serve all the homeless in the country (around 4.5 million individuals), but at least the government is on the right track in making progress in its effort to fight poverty.

President Marcos has vowed to fulfill the country’s commitment to realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 1 of eradicating poverty, implementing nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, and granting equal access to economic resources, particularly for the poor and vulnerable sector of society.

This FISS program has a noble objective of helping Filipinos who are most in need, and if there is a government program that needs everyone’s support, this is it.

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