Local leaders and national agency representatives convened today at Gateway Hotel, Surigao City for a convergence meeting aimed at strengthening the implementation of national social welfare and livelihood programs across the province.

Mari-Flor Dollaga, Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga, attended the convergence meeting together with the municipal mayors of Surigao del Norte’s 2nd District, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs), Congressman Robert Ace Barbers and the regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The event aimed to align local and national efforts to uplift communities.

The meeting highlighted two primary goals: ensuring local chief executives (LCEs) understand national programs and their implementation frameworks, and educating the public about these services, including eligibility criteria and their long-term objectives.

DSWD Field Office Caraga Regional Director Mari-Flor A. Dollaga emphasized the need to prioritize sustainable solutions over short-term aid. She stated, “Angay mahibaw-an sa mga katawhan ang dekalidad nga programa ug serbisyo sa departamento” (“The people should be aware of the department’s quality programs and services”).

Dir. Dollaga emphasized shifting from dependency to self-reliance, invoking the adage, “We should not teach our people to depend on Ayuda [aid]. Let us not give them the fish but teach them to catch fish.” She stressed, however, that immediate assistance remains critical in crises, vowing to “aid everybody and immediately” when urgent needs arise.

The director also expressed gratitude to Congressman Barbers and the attending mayors for their partnership, citing their support as pivotal to DSWD Caraga’s outreach in the region. The convergence meeting marked a push for tighter coordination between agencies and local governments to ensure programs like Pantawid Pamilya, Sustainable Livelihood Program, and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation are efficiently delivered.