DSWD-OIC Emmanuel C. Leyco (2nd from left) leads the MOA signing with GT Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Aniceto Sobrepeña (3rd from left) sealing the partnership for the 2018 “Bags of Blessings” Project. Also in photo are from DSWD Undersecretary Florita R. Villar and Metrobank Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Nicanor Torres, Jr.
OIC Leyco, Exec. Dirs Sobrepeña and Torres check out the grocery items to be included in the bags of blessings which will be distributed to 10,000 poor families nationwide.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) signed yesterday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with GT Foundation, Inc. (GTFI) and  Metrobank Foundation, Inc., for the 2018 Bags of Blessings (BOB) Project.

Every year,  GT Foundation and Metrobank Foundation, partner with the DSWD for their yearly gift-giving activity, a tradition set by the said institutions in celebration of the Chinese New Year.

The BOB Project for 2018 will benefit 10,000 poor families nationwide, with the majority of the beneficiaries selected from DSWD’s Listahanan, a database of poor families.  The Bags of Blessings which amounts to P1,000 per bag is given to families who live below the poverty line, victims of calamities, Indigenous Peoples, and those who are not beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. The BOB gift giving will kick off on February 16, 2018, at Lancaster City in Gen Trias, reaching out to 500 families, to be followed by simultaneous nationwide gift giving to poor families starting February 17.

DSWD Officer-in-Charge Emmanuel A. L eyco expressed the Department’s gratitude to Metrobank and GT Foundations  “for their continued trust and confidence to the DSWD family as their partner for the Bags of Blessings Project.”

“The BOB Project is a welcome development in our mutual desire and commitment to serve our poor kababayans. We also laud Metrobank and GT Foundations for their other programs that focus on calamity response, health care, and empowerment.”

For his part, GT Foundation Executive Director Aniceto M. Sobrepeña shared,“Kami po ay tuwang-tuwa na taon-taon ay ginagawa natin itong pamimigay ng blessings kasama ang national government tulad ng DSWD.  Tuwing Chinese New Year, namimigay po tayo ng blessings.  Gusto din po natin na ang ating mga benepisyaryo ay makapag-enjoy ng mga blessings na tinatanggap ng Metrobank at ni George Ty, founder ng GT Foundation  (We are happy that every year, we are able to implement the Bags of Blessings Project with the national government like DSWD.  Every Chinese New Year, we give out these blessings as we want our beneficiaries to also partake in the blessings received by Metrobank and George Ty, founder of GT Foundation).”

Moreover, Dir. Sobrepeña explained why they continue to partner with DSWD, saying,  “Ang DSWD ang aming kapartner dahil gusto namin na  ang bibigyan ng BOB ay iyong mga nangangailangan.  Nagpapasalamat kami sa partnership, hindi namin ito magagawa kung hindi dahil din sa DSWD (We choose to partner with DSWD because we want to ensure that those who receive the BOB are those who are truly in need. We are thankful for the partnership as we will not be able to do this without DSWD).” ###