Our mandate is to help those who are in immediate need of our services and assistance programs, and that is what we did and continue to do for the urban poor of Bulacan. The urban poor there are facing a crisis situation.”

This was the reaction of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo regarding allegations that the agency is “tolerating” the action of some 3,000 families who have occupied previously abandoned and neglected public housing projects in Bulacan.

Sec. Taguiwalo said that whether or not the occupation of the housing projects by the urban poor families was illegal is not the immediate concern of the DSWD.

“That is a matter we are leaving to the National Housing Authority (NHA) and other housing agencies to decide. The  DSWD’s assistance for the families is focused on their immediate need for food,” she said.

Sec. Taguiwalo said that last March 16, the DSWD- Field Office III released 2,100 family food packs (FFPs) to urban poor relocatees in Pandi Bulacan, and these families were not members of the Occupy Bulacan movement or the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY).

She said that the release of the FFPs followed the guidelines set by the DSWD on the same.

“We are helping  Filipinos who asked us for immediate assistance in the form of food.  We do not discriminate against those who are in crisis situations and are in immediate need of our help.  The families we gave FFPs to last March 16 were not involved in the Occupy Bulacan campaign. They sought our help because they are very poor and needing assistance. This week, we are  validating the families who joined the Occupy Bulacan action and determining their immediate food needs. There are young children, senior citizens, pregnant women among them, and they are our priority. We do not judge their decision to participate in the mass action led by the urban poor group Kadamay; we are providing help as part of our social welfare and humanitarian mandate to help those in crisis situations,” she said.

“We do not want this situation to escalate. We do not want to stand by and watch families, especially babies and children, starve,” Sec. Taguiwalo continued.

Sec. Taguiwalo explained that among the main slogans and directives of the DSWD is “Pantay na Pagtrato sa mga Komunidad.”

“If our social workers determine and assess that there are individuals, families, or entire communities who are in need of DSWD services because they are facing a crisis situation,  we do what we can to provide these services regardless of their political leanings or calls,” she further explained.

The welfare head said that based on field reports, DSWD- FO III will be able to release food packs to more urban poor relocatees in Pandi, Bulacan by the end of the day. #