Frontliners of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) remain committed to their jobs of delivering unhampered service, including the distribution of the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), despite the threat of COVID-19.

At present, the Department has recorded 11 COVID-19 positive personnel of whom four are from Field Office (FO)-National Capital Region (NCR), four from FO CALABARZON, and three from FO VII. Some 964 others from the different FOs and at the Central Office are on self-quarantine. Overall, the DSWD has close to 30,000 personnel nationwide.

The Department has already provided assistance by referring the affected staff to their respective local health office. DSWD is also currently monitoring their condition and will provide necessary assistance depending on their needs as well as in the form of psychosocial interventions and financial support, if necessary. Those in self-quarantine will also be given family food packs.

DSWD said that ensuring the health and safety of its personnel, especially the frontliners, is part of its preparations for a smoother and more efficient implementation of SAP second tranche.

Aside from the SAP, DSWD frontliners also implement regular programs such as the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Supplementary Feeding for Children, and other rehabilitative and protective services for the vulnerable sectors, as well as disaster relief operations. ###