Welcome to the official website of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Caraga Field Office!
Established eighteen years ago with only 15 personnel detailed from the two mother regions (Regions 10 and 11), DSWD Caraga has endeavoured through the years to fulfill its mandate of serving the poor, vulnerable, disadvantaged individuals, families and communities.
Today, the field office operates with 39 permanent and 24 contractual staff. This lack of full staff complementation to carry out the field office’s tasks and responsibilities, however, never dampen the spirit of the workers.
With the leadership of Secreatary Corazon Juliano Soliman and support of our valued stakeholders, partners and clients, DSWD has evolved to be one of the leading agencies in the implementation of various social protection programs of the government, which objectives are aimed at improving the lives of the poor by empowering them.
In 2009 official poverty statistics of the National Statistical Coordination Board, Caraga region posted the highest poverty incidence among families in 2006 (36.9) and 2009 (39.8) and was considered the poorest region in the country – a great challenge, which confronted the various government offices, including DSWD Caraga and private sectors in the Northeastern Mindanao.
Facing this reality, the government through the Department under the leadership of Secretary Corazon Juliano Soliman, has intensified the implementation of various poverty reduction programs to address the pressing condition of the region. These are the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya), Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). These three programs are DSWD’s contribution to the poverty reduction strategy of the national government.
Based on the recent NSCB report posted in its website on April 23, 2013, Caraga region has improved its poverty incidence among families significantly from 43 percent in the first semester of 2006 and 2009, to 34 percent in the first half of 2012. In fact it dropped to sixth place among 17 regions in 2012, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) records show. This significant improvement has lifted out Caraga region from being the poorest region in the country.
As the new regional director of DSWD Caraga, my heart rejoices with the rest of the government workforce and the Caragans for this achievement.
This new development, however, should not keep us from doing extra mile in every work that we do. Instead, this should bolster our spirits to continue working together for the development of Caraga region and its people in the manner that we all know – – – faster, better and smarter.
As the leader in social protection, DSWD has continued enhancing its implementation strategies. With the aim of maximizing resources by reducing duplication of efforts and enhancing operational efficiency, and enhancing local skills, knowledge, and collaborative action between stakeholders for sustainability of outcomes, DSWD employs the convergence strategy we call Tatsulo or Tatlong Sulo. This strategy harmonizes the three (3) core social protection programs. The convergence strategy links the Department’s social protection programs to establish strategic focus, complementation and operational efficiency for the empowerment of all its stakeholders – beneficiaries, LGUs, NGOs, service providers and intermediaries.
As we continue to perform our mandate to serve the people with MATAPAT, MAHUSAY, at MAGILIW brand of service, the DSWD Caraga crafted its thrusts and priorities based on the national thrusts and priorities for 2013.
This year, DSWD Caraga continues the provision of effective and efficient service by implementing the core programs as contributions of DSWD in human development and poverty reduction in partnership and collaboration with stakeholders; intensifying promotion of social technology projects to local governments for adoption and replication and sharing and utilization of National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) data; ensuring that every staff’s objectives are in accordance with the organizational purpose, good governance and ethical standards; strengthening measures on the organization’s integrity and fully implement the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA); enhancing communication strategies at all levels; implementing Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System (RBMES); ensuring capability building interventions are responsive to the needs of staff and intermediaries; providing necessary technical and logistical support to all staff; and ensuring sound utilization of government resources.
The DSWD Caraga will always be a strong advocate of development and a collaborative partner to various government agencies, non-government organizations, civil society organizations and sectors in helping ordinary people by empowering them through our programs, projects and services.
We hope that through this website, we would be able to provide you with substantive information and knowledge on DSWD that would enable you to access government programs, projects and services.
MINDA B. BRIGOLI, CESO III
Regional Director
