Sustainable Livelihood Program, 4Ps, AICS… These are just some of the programs carried out by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the government department responsible for the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of Filipinos.
DSWD’s Central Office is headquartered in Quezon City. In addition, it has Field Offices located in every region of the Philippines. In Region V, for example, there’s DSWD Field Office V – Bicol Region.
Location of DSWD Field Office V – Bicol Region
DSWD Field Office V – Bicol Region is located in Legazpi City. This city happens to be the regional center; it is the most populated city in the region.
Cities/Municipalities Under DSWD Field Office V – Bicol Region
DSWD Field Office V covers Bicol Region, which is comprised of six provinces: Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, and Masbate.
The province of Camarines Norte has 12 municipalities, with Daet as the provincial capital. Meanwhile, Camarines Sur is made up of 25 municipalities and two cities, Naga and Iriga City.
Albay, where the famous Mayon Volcano can be found, has 15 municipalities and three cities: Legazpi, Ligao, and Tabaco. On the other hand, Sorsogon province is composed of 14 municipalities and one city, Sorsogon City.
Notably, Catanduanes and Masbate are both island provinces. Catanduanes has 11 municipalities, with Virac as the provincial capital. Meanwhile, Masbate is comprised of 20 municipalities and one city, Masbate City.
Key Programs and Services
DSWD Field Office V is responsible for implementing the department’s various programs in the Bicol region. These key programs include the following:
Assistance to Individuals In Crisis Situations (AICS). As the name implies, this program provides different kinds of assistance (e.g. transportation, medical, educational, etc.) to individuals, families, and communities in crisis.
Disaster Response Management Services. In times of natural calamities and man-made disasters, the DSWD is ever ready to provide relief assistance, emergency shelter, cash-for-work, and other services.
Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP). Victims of human trafficking are given basic services, legal services, livelihood assistance, and other types of interventions.
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). As the flagship anti-poverty program of the Philippine government, this conditional cash transfer initiative aims to uplift the lives of the “poorest of the poor.”
Listahanan. Operated by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction or NHTS-PR, this information management system helps to identify the poorest households in the country.
Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP). Through this program, underweight or malnourished children are given nutritious food in addition to their regular meals.
Sustainable Livelihood Program. This is a community-based program that aims to build the capacity of its participants and eventually improve their socioeconomic status. It features two tracks: Employment Facilitation and Micro-enterprise Development.
Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community-Driven Development Program (Kalahi CIDSS-NCDDP). This is a community-based program that seeks to improve the beneficiaries’ economic status, while building the capacity of local government units (LGUs).
Center and Residential Care Facilities. These are facilities that accommodate vulnerable sectors such as domestic violence victims, street children, and persons with disabilities (PWDs). In Region V, examples of such facilities are the Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) and the Naga City Children’s Home in Naga City, Camarines Sur.
Adoption and Foster Care. The process for placing children under foster care or adoption is managed by the DSWD.
Recent Achievements and Milestones
DSWD Field Office V works round-the-clock, implementing various programs to meet the needs of Filipinos in the region. Here are some of its latest achievements, according to its official Facebook page:
Over 10K Beneficiaries Redeem Food Credits
Some 8,209 beneficiaries from Camarines Sur and 2,118 beneficiaries from Sorsogon redeemed their food credits using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on Friday, August 30, 2024.
The activity was part of Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program (FSP), a DSWD program that aims to address hunger and food security among low-income families. It provides PHP 3,000 food credits to each household beneficiary.
Image Credit: DSWD Field Office 5 – Bicol / Facebook
DSWD Bicol’s SLP Receives Awards at Gawad Sulong
DSWD Bicol’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) received several awards at Gawad Sulong 2024 recently. It was recognized for its “Outstanding Performance in Calendar Year 2023.” In addition, the Field Office was also commended for its “Good Practice Documentation” in the DSWD FO5 Compendium of Products.
Notably, two SLP FOV Field PDOs also excelled in the Sibol Writing Competition. Ma. Julie May Ramos and Juddah Ernes Paet are Champions for Cycles 1 and 2 (Sibol Trabaho Category), respectively.
Image Credit: DSWD Field Office 5 – Bicol / Facebook
DSWD Bicol Provides Hot Meals to Stranded Passengers
Since yesterday, passengers have been stranded in various ports in the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate due to Tropical Storm Enteng. In response, the DSWD Bicol Field Office provided hot meals to 618 stranded passengers on Monday, September 2, 2024.
Furthermore, the Field Office has prepared a total of 129,243 Family Food Packs (FFPs) and 78,283 non-food items as part of resource augmentation. These have been pre-positioned at regional warehouses and local government units (LGUs) across the region.
Image Credit: DSWD Field Office 5 – Bicol / Facebook
How to Apply for Jobs in DSWD Field Office V – Bicol Region
Occasionally, DSWD Field Office V posts job vacancies on its Facebook page. If you are interested in applying, be sure to gather the following required documents first:
- Application Letter;
- Comprehensive Resume or updated Personal Data Sheet (CS Form No. 212);
- Certified photocopies of Transcript of Records (TOR) and Diploma;
- Certificates of Trainings and Seminars attended;
- Certificate(s) of Employment;
- Certification of Board Rating/Professional License/CS Eligibility (if applicable);
- Certification from School for Masters or PhD units earned or completed (if any); and
- Individual Performance Contract Rating (IPCR) for the last semester (if any).
Then, follow this step-by-step guide to applying for a job online:
- Visit the official Facebook page of DSWD Field Office V for the latest job vacancy announcements.
- For each vacancy, the post features the salary grade, area of assignment, qualifications, and job description.
- To apply for a job vacancy, click on the Google link form displayed onscreen and enter the necessary information. Don’t forget to upload the required supporting documents.
Video: Story of a BayanI Ka! Awardee
The BayanI Ka! Awards is an activity of the KALAHI-CIDSS program that recognizes outstanding volunteers, partners, and local government offices. During the 9th Regional BayanI Ka! Awards held last April, Richard Carillo was hailed as “Exceptional Youth Community Volunteer.” This video presents his story:
Contact Information: DSWD Field Office V – Bicol Region
If you have any questions or concerns for DSWD Field Office V, you can get in touch with them through these contact details:
Address: Legazpi City, Albay
Telephone: (052) 480 0425
Email: fo5@dswd.gov.ph
Website: https://fo5.dswd.gov.ph/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dswdfo5bicol/
Google Map:
Final Thoughts
Through DSWD Field Office V, the agency’s programs and services are able to reach the people of Bicol. Since this region is usually the first to be hit by strong typhoons, it’s good to know that DSWD’s Bicol Field Office is able to provide relief assistance to affected families.
In the meantime, check out this page for the full list of DSWD regional offices in the Philippines.