Almost every year, super typhoons hit the Philippines, causing flooding and landslides in many places. Occasionally, the country experiences earthquakes and volcano eruptions as well, not to mention other disasters like oil spills and the spread of diseases.
In times of disaster, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is always quick to respond, giving aid and assistance to affected families. To help in the identification of these families and to enable fast delivery of services, the agency uses the Family Assistance Card in Emergencies and Disasters (FACED).
Image Credit: DSWD Western Visayas / Facebook
What is FACED?
The Family Assistance Card in Emergencies and Disasters (FACED) is a profiling tool used to gather the demographic and socioeconomic details of disaster-vulnerable and disaster affected families. The data includes their name, age, gender, education, and income. Post-disaster data and information about damage to shelter, along with the humanitarian assistance received, are also collected.
Previously, the tool was referred to as the Disaster Assistance Family Access Card (DAFAC). This was enhanced and updated to become the FACED. Notably, the FACED can be administered as a disaster preparedness, disaster-impact, or post-impact social registry form; it can also serve as a family verification tool.
Target Users
The target users of the FACED are families who are vulnerable to or have been affected by natural or human-induced hazards.
Purposes of FACED
According to DSWD Memorandum Circular No. 12, Series of 2024, the purposes of FACED are the following:
- To record the basic information of disaster-affected families and serve as a secondary source of disaggregated data by age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability classification, and geography;
- To ensure access to relief assistance provided by the government and other partners; these include food and non-food items (FNIs), financial assistance, livelihood, and other modalities of interventions;
- To account for disaster-affected families and ensure that they are all provided with appropriate assistance;
To provide a systematic and immediate reference for the distribution of relief assistance; and - To establish as a mechanism to track and prevent duplication of assistance or services provided to disaster-affected families.
Implementation of FACED
FACED may be used during the post-disaster profiling of families as part of disaster response and early recovery activities. Usually, DSWD personnel or volunteers gather information from families in evacuation centers. The form may be administered manually or digitally using the FACED – Information System (IS).
During profiling, two copies of the FACED are filled out: one for the head of the family, and one for the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO). After the forms are filled out, the head of the family shall affix his/her signature (or thumb mark for those who are unable to sign), together with the Barangay Captain and the LSWDO personnel as well.
Data Protection and Privacy
Throughout all stages of the FACED (gathering of data, data management, etc.), the DSWD adheres to Republic Act No. 10173 or the “Data Privacy Act of 2012). These provisions will be observed:
- The DSWD will be responsible for ensuring the utmost protection and security of personal and sensitive information gathered and processed through FACED;
- All FACED-gathered and generated data will be kept confidential and will not be used for any other purposes;
- Hired and/or volunteer personnel administering FACED will be bound by a confidentiality agreement to make sure that the information gathered will be secured and protected; and
- A Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) will be executed for data-sharing purposes, primarily with the local government units (LGUs) concerned, partner stakeholders, and other agencies.
Sample FACED Form
Below is a sample copy of the FACED form. The first part of the form lists the location of the affected family: region, province, district, city/municipality, barangay, and name of the evacuation center or evacuation site.
The second part of the form collects data about the head of the family, including his/her: full name, date of birth, age, place of birth, sex, civil status, mother’s maiden name, religion, occupation, and monthly net income of the family. There are also spaces provided for the interviewee’s ID card type, ID number, contact number, and permanent address.
In addition, information about each family member is collected, such as: date of birth, age, sex, highest educational attainment, occupation, and relation to the head of the family. The number of vulnerable family members (i.e. older persons, pregnant women, lactating women, persons with disabilities) is also collected.
Finally, the interviewee must answer questions about house ownership (i.e. owned, rented, or shared) as well as the classification of shelter damage (i.e. partially damaged or totally damaged). Then, he/she must affix his/her signature or thumb mark. The Barangay Captain and LSWDO personnel also need to sign the form.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Meanwhile, below are some commonly asked questions about FACED:
1. What is FACED?
FACED stands for “Family Assistance Card in Emergencies and Disasters,” a profiling tool used to gather information about disaster-vulnerable and disaster-affected families.
2. Who are its target users?
Families who are vulnerable to or have been affected by natural or human-induced hazards are the target users of FACED.
3. What is the purpose of FACED?
The purpose of FACED is to record information about disaster-affected families, thus ensuring them of access to relief assistance. It also serves a systematic reference that can help track and prevent the duplication of assistance or services provided.
4. How is it implemented?
FACED is typically used during post-disaster profiling, although it may also be used in disaster preparedness. DSWD personnel or volunteers use FACED to collect information from disaster-affected families. Two copies of the form are filled out; one for the head of the family and another for the LSWDO.
5. How about data privacy?
The DSWD adheres to R.A. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 throughout all stages of the FACED. All gathered and generated data shall be kept confidential and not uses for other purposes.
Contact Information: DSWD Central Office
For inquiries about the FACED, you can go to the nearest DSWD office in your area. You can also get in touch with the DSWD Central Office through the following contact details:
Address: DSWD Central Office, Constitution Hills, Batasang Pambansa Complex, Batasan Road, Quezon City, 1100 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 8931 8101 to 07
Email: inquiry@dswd.gov.ph
Website: https://www.dswd.gov.ph/
Google Map:
Final Thoughts
In a disaster-prone country such as the Philippines, profiling tools like the FACED are very useful, indeed. Aside from making sure that disaster-affected families receive the assistance they need, it also prevents duplication of assistance and aids in disaster preparedness.
Speaking of disasters, many parts of the country were recently hit by Super Typhoon Carina and Habagat. Fortunately, many local and international groups have extended relief assistance. Check out this article to learn about donations sent by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to families affected by the typhoon and monsoon rains.