In an effort to prepare the Local Social Welfare and Development Officers (LSWDOs) for full devolution, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the Social Welfare Institutional Development Bureau, conducted the 2021 Knowledge Fair over an online platform to provide a venue for sharing practices, strategies, and initiatives of various offices and social welfare and development partners.
Held on October 26 and 27, with the theme, “Preparing for Full Devolution: Inclusive and Effective Social Welfare Service Delivery through Empowered LGUs,” this year’s Knowledge Fair for LSWDOs aimed to provide orientation on the DSWD programs and services to be devolved as well as the current efforts of the Department that are consistent with Executive Order (EO) No. 138, series of 2021 or the “Full Devolution of Certain Functions of the Executive Branch to Local Government Units, Creation of a Committee on Devolution, and Other Purposes.”
“I am pleased to note that this fair signifies the Department’s preparation towards the improvement of its organizational processes, technological capacity and readiness to adapt with the new normal and international standards. Indeed, we are confident that no pandemic can stop our efforts to efficiently and effectively deliver programs and services closer to our clients and beneficiaries,” DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista said during his keynote address.
This two-day event intended to equip local social welfare officers with the necessary knowledge to implement the DSWD programs and services that would be fully devolved in 2022-2024 through the sharing, adoption, and documentation of the practices of the attending participants from different provinces, cities, and municipalities.
The participants had an opportunity to hear other LGUs’ preparations for the devolution during the breakout sessions. Furthermore, various programs and services were discussed by resource speakers, including DSWD officials and personnel who are involved in the implementation of EO No. 138, series of 2021.
Aside from the discussion, good practices of some LGUs in the implementation of programs, services, and projects to be devolved were shared. These were the Comprehensive Project for Children and Families at-Risk on the Streets, Assistance to Persons with Disability, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Supplemental Feeding Program, Programs for Older Persons, Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons, Sustainable Livelihood Program, and Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services.
Participants of the Knowledge Fair were expected to use their learnings from the Fair in planning, establishing, and implementing of the programs that are subject for devolution.
“We hope that all lessons and experiences shared by our resource persons from these activities will help equip the LSWDOs in the planning, establishing, and implementing of the programs and services for devolution. Together, let us continue to serve and prepare ourselves for the dynamics of an ever changing environment,” Secretary Bautista added.
Through this Knowledge Fair, the Department vowed to continuously assist and empower LGUs in the implementation of social welfare programs and services. ###