“Voice of the People” tells of changed lives through government interventions

• Source: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1351446447275/-voice-of-the-people-tells-of-changed-lives-through-government-interventions
• Monday, November 2, 2015

(ALT/CAL/PIA-9 Zamboanga del Sur)

PAGADIAN CITY, 2 Nov (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development IX (DSWD-9), in cooperation with the civil society organizations (CSOs) hosted a stakeholders’ forum dubbed as “Voice of the People: Listening to those who matter most” at Chandler Suites on October 29, this city.

Pantawid Regional Program Coordinator Evangeline Poquita said the activity is in keeping with the DSWD-CSO partnership framework, “Bantay, Gabay Tulay at Kaagapay.”

“Bantay is for the conduct of anti-corruption campaign and activities; Gabay is the provision of technical assistance especially during trainings of the beneficiaries; Tulay is for the implementation of feedback and monitoring mechanism; and Kaagapay is for the implementation of projects and activities on poverty reduction,”Poquita explained.

The activity focused on the message, ‘Kaya ko ang Pagbabago, sa tulong ng pamahalaan, nagbago ang buhay ko kaya kailangan kong maging aktibong mamamayan,” Poquita said.

“It also served as an avenue for DSWD’s partner-beneficiaries to share their testimonials on how the department has helped them change their lives, what these changes are, and their plans for the future given that they now have changed lives,” Poquita further explained.

Parent leaders Agnes Ronda of Vincenzo Sagun, Lolita Quimot of Aurora, Analiza Dumagal of San Miguel and Arlyna Suarez of Dumalinao whose lives were remarkably transformed through the program shared their testimonies.

Assistant Regional Director for Operations Consejo H. Usman was so thankful for the support of all stakeholders, saying that, “the DSWD alone cannot do this, we cannot say we are successful because of our efforts. But it’s because of the partnership that we have with you.We say, Padayon ang atong program implementation.” (Let’s continue with our program implementation).

“Padayon ang atong testimonials nga nag-ingon dakong pagtabang ang ilang nadawat,” (Let’s continue with our testimonials telling of the big help they received). Let us hear the change, the transformation that happened in their lives, be it a woman or a man, as well as the children of every family that has benefitted from the Pantawid Pamilya Program,” Usman said.

In attendance during the forum were some 200 parent-leaders from the municipalities of Kumalarang, Guipos, San Miguel, Tigbao, Tukuran, Sominot and Tambulig, together with partner national government agencies (NGAs), CSOs, municipal links, and regional and provincial employees of the DSWD.