The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have agreed to establish a working protocol for the provision of relief items during disasters and calamities.
Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), representing Secretary Rex Gatchalian, and MSSD Minister Raissa Jajurie signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Wednesday (December 11) at the DSWD’s Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) at the Central Office in Quezon City.
Witnessing the MOA signing were Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for DRMG Leo Quintilla, who is also concurrently Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), and MSSD Bangsamoro Director General Mohammad Multadir Estrella.
Republic Act No. 11054 or the Organic Law for the BARMM states that the Bangsamoro government shall exercise authority over the social services, social welfare, and charities in the provinces under the BARMM.
DSWD inks 1st disaster protocol agreement with BARMM’s Social Services Ministry
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday (December 11) inked the first memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) pertaining to disaster preparedness and response protocol.
“I am proud to note that this is the first MOA between the DSWD and the MSSD-BARMM concerning disaster protocols, technical assistance, benchmarking, and other collaborative efforts,” Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said during the ceremonial signing at the agency’s Central Office’s Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) in Quezon City.
The agreement signed by Undersecretary Cajipe, who represented Secretary Rex Gatchalian, and MSSD Minister Raissa Jajurie, aims to establish a legal framework for a coordinated approach to disaster response in the BARMM including the provision of needed welfare goods and technical assistance during disasters and calamities.
The framework will also cover the procedures for requesting family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items (NFls) from the DSWD Central Office and Field Offices 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 10 (Northern Mindanao), and 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN).
The DSWD and the MSSD-BARMM also agreed to exchange best practices through benchmarking activities.
“As outlined in the MOA, the DSWD and the MSSD-BARMM are committed to working together to foster a mutually beneficial partnership within the bounds of the law to achieve the goals and objectives set forth in applicable legislations, existing mandates, and regulations,” Undersecretary Cajipe said.
Republic Act No. 11054 or the “Organic Law for the BARMM” states that the Bangsamoro Government shall exercise authority over the social services, social welfare, and charities in the BARMM.
According to the DRMG undersecretary, it is appropriate to establish a working protocol with the MSSD for the efficient and effective implementation of the programs and services, particularly the disaster-preparedness and response, in recognition of the autonomy and right to self-governance of the region.
“We are optimistic that this MOA will solidify the partnership between our agencies as we continue to serve our kababayans,” Undersecretary Cajipe said.
MSSD Minister Jajurie expressed the ministry’s commitment to better collaboration and cooperation with the DSWD, saying, “we are from the same family.”
“The MOA is just the start and we hope that we will be able to learn more about the work of the DSWD so that it will enrich the work of the MSSD,” Minister Jajurie said.
Minister Jajurie noted that the MSSD recently passed the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) Law in the BARMM.
“Aside from disaster response, we are now looking at the human rights-based concerns of those who may be affected by human-induced or natural disasters. I think the DSWD can help us institutionalize our programs,” Minister Jajurie said.
The MSSD is the agency mandated to provide a balanced and responsive approach to social welfare in which the rights, needs, and interests of all citizens within its jurisdiction are protected and addressed at all times.
The MSS gives special focus on the marginalized and vulnerable sectors, including women, children, senior citizens, differently-abled persons, indigenous cultural communities, internally displaced persons, and those similarly situated by analogy, especially during the existence of a crisis, whether natural or human-induced, that affects their well-being and their participation in community affairs.
