The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday expressed its full support for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pag-Abot Program during the ceremonial signing of its Implementing Rules and Regulations at the DSWD Central Office.

“This interagency is committed to making sure that no one will be left behind. For those who fall in the cracks in society, those cracks will be spread open so that they will be picked up, brought back, and made a productive member of society,” DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said. Secretary Remulla serves as Vice Chairperson of the Interagency Committee, which is chaired by the DSWD.

The Pag-Abot Program strengthens the whole- of-nation approach in delivering social protection services to disadvantaged individuals, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a Bagong Pilipinas where every Filipino is seen, supported, and included. This enhanced system ensures that even those in street situations receive the assistance needed to rebuild their lives.

Institutionalized through Executive Order No. 52 series of 2024, the Pag-Abot Program establishes a unified delivery of social services for children, individuals, and families in street situations.

As Vice Chairperson of the Interagency Committee, the DILG mobilizes local government units and leads policy coordination to ensure that the implementation of Pag-Abot reaches communities and families at the local level.

According to the DSWD, 15,000 individuals in street situations have already been profiled in Metro Manila. Of these, 10,000 have been reached and 8,000 have been reintegrated into their communities.

Remulla said the Pag- Abot Program is anchored on empathy, compassion, and purpose, designed to give people a fair chance to regain stability and dignity. He described the program as a critical tool to support those who have been left behind amid the nation’s reality of survival for the fittest and those who can best adapt.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian affirmed that with the IRR now signed, the program’s expansion will move forward in major areas such as Metro Cebu and Metro Davao to reach more beneficiaries and strengthen access to social protection.

Also present during the signing ceremony were Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez, Pag-Abot National Program Director and DSWD Undersecretary Edu Punay, DILG Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Lopez De Leon, and other representatives from the Interagency Committee.