The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga is advancing the establishment of an Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Satellite Office in Cabadbaran City to improve access to immediate social protection services for indigent and vulnerable sectors in Agusan del Norte.

To operationalize the initiative, DSWD Caraga conducted a coordination meeting on January 15, 2025, at the Cabadbaran City Hall Conference Room, led by Assistant Regional Director for Operations Jean Paul Parajes, together with Protective Services Division Chief Jessie Catherine Aranas, Crisis Intervention Section Head Ana Semacio, and SWAD Team Leader Michael Andohuyan. The meeting was attended by Cabadbaran City Mayor Judy Chin Amante, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Josephine Demoral, representatives from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Agusan del Norte, and a representative from the Congressional Office of Agusan del Norte Representative Dale Corvera.

The proposed AICS Satellite Office forms part of DSWD’s continuing decentralization of AICS implementation, which began in 2014. At present, only one AICS Satellite Office serves all 12 local government units of Agusan del Norte, resulting in accessibility challenges for clients requiring urgent financial and psychosocial assistance.

Once established, the satellite office is expected to bring AICS services closer to communities, reduce travel time and costs for clients, and ensure the timely delivery of assistance to individuals and families in crisis situations.

During the meeting, Mayor Amante committed to provide office space for the proposed AICS Satellite Office at the soonest possible time, underscoring the City Government’s support for strengthening social protection service delivery.

The coordination meeting also served as a venue to discuss other priority DSWD programs, including the Walang Gutom Program, where key program components and provisions of the proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) were presented. The City Government expressed its intent to review the MOA and facilitate the passage of a City Council resolution authorizing the local government to enter into partnership with DSWD.

In addition, DSWD sought the support of the City Government for the institutionalization of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) in Cabadbaran City through the issuance of a resolution. Mayor Amante committed to endorse the request to the City Council for appropriate legislative action.

The meeting highlighted the strengthened collaboration between DSWD Caraga and the City Government of Cabadbaran in advancing decentralized, accessible, and responsive social protection services, ensuring that assistance reaches those most in need in a timely and efficient manner.