DSWD stays committed to poverty alleviation

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has affirmed that it will continue to offer social safety nets that will reduce the effects of disasters and other emergencies, including inflation.

«Our department is working hard to help our fellow Filipinos address the negative effects of such events and keep them from getting into poverty,» DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said on Friday.

«In addition, the DSWD will make sure any assistance continues to be distributed in order to keep those individuals out of poverty,» Dumlao said.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao

According to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey last December, 63 percent of Filipino families considered themselves poor, a 4 percent increase from 59 percent in September 2024.

Dumlao said the effects of the series of typhoons, other calamities, and inflation may have influenced one's view or self-image.

«Looking back, there were several events last year, such as El Niño, several typhoons, and inflation, and these factors impact an individual's views on their financial condition, influencing whether they feel poor or not,» Dumlao said.

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Initiatives like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which invests in education and health, aim to help beneficiaries rise out of poverty.

«We do not want the number of poor individuals to increase any further, and we want to establish more resilient communities, which is why we have social safety nets,» Dumlao said.