The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga, through its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), has partnered with Caritas Butuan Inc. (CBI) to strengthen support for the implementation of the 4Ps. The partnership was formally launched today at Barangay Libertad, Butuan City.
This collaboration aims to establish a comprehensive and complementary approach to program implementation, foster mutual understanding of each organization’s priorities, and lay the groundwork for future dialogues to identify specific areas of convergence and joint programs or activities.
DSWD Caraga’s Assistant Regional Director for Operations (ARDO), Jean Paul Parajes, emphasized that this initiative represents a continuing effort to bridge government and church collaboration.
Following the directive of DSWD Secretary Rex Gachalian, the office seeks to strengthen its partnership with Caritas Butuan and other social welfare programs such as AICS, TBSB, SLP, Pag-Abot Program, and Disaster Response, among others. He noted that this joint effort aligns with the shared goal of assisting the poor and vulnerable—an advocacy central to both DSWD and Caritas Butuan.
During the presentation of Caritas Butuan’s organizational structure, Rev. Msgr. Porfirio Colon Jr., Social Action Center Director of the Diocese of Butuan, affirmed their commitment to supporting DSWD’s initiatives.
“We are pleased to collaborate with you. We can assist in terms of values formation,” he said, highlighting Caritas’ longstanding role in implementing poverty alleviation and social development initiatives in the region.
Meanwhile, Crislea Celeste, 4Ps Caraga Regional Program Coordinator, suggested involving Caritas Butuan as resource speakers during Family Development Sessions (FDS) as an initial step in the partnership. She also proposed the establishment of a referral network to help clients access various DSWD programs and services.
To formalize and streamline the collaboration, DSWD-Caraga and Caritas Butuan will soon develop a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and create a Technical Working Group (TWG) and Project Monitoring Team (PMT) composed of staff from both organizations.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Caritas Philippines have forged a partnership to strengthen anti-poverty and empowerment programs across the country. Through a signed Memorandum of Understanding, both institutions commit to work together in implementing community-based initiatives such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Tara, Basa sa Baryo, and other livelihood and social protection programs.
The collaboration aims to combine DSWD’s technical expertise and resources with Caritas Philippines’ extensive faith-based network to deliver holistic services that promote self-sufficiency, values formation, and inclusive development—ensuring that assistance reaches even the most vulnerable and remote communities.
Caritas Philippines, also known as the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA), serves as the social action and development arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). It implements humanitarian, development, and advocacy initiatives that support the poor and marginalized. The organization’s key programs focus on poverty reduction, sustainable farming, women’s empowerment, environmental protection, disaster preparedness and response, promotion of good governance, and strengthening community resilience to climate change.
Republic Act No. 11310 or the 4Ps Act, which was launched in 2008 and formally institutionalized in 2019, serves as the country’s primary poverty alleviation strategy and human capital investment initiative. It grants conditional cash assistance to qualified poor households for up to seven (7) years, aiming to enhance their health, nutrition, and education.
