Davao City – Donning the personal protective equipment provided by the City Health Office, some Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) staff braved the front lines to distribute subsidy in Brgy. 23-C, a classified very high-risk area.
The city government has recently urged the public to avoid going to these barangays considering the presence of a significant number of COVID-19 cases. However, for the Department, this is an opportunity to show that the ‘serbisyong-malasakit’ knows no bounds.
“Bisan pa sa hulga sa COVID-19 diri sa ako area, padayon man gihapon atong pagpanerbisyo diri,” Ms. Elena Alingalan, assigned city link of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), said.
Alingalan is one of the implementers of the emergency subsidy program under the social amelioration program (SAP) of the national government in the said barangay.
“Wala tay hunong diri sa pagpanarbaho apan strikto gyud ang pagpatuman nato sa mga safety protocols ilabina sa panahon sa pag-payout (We never stopped working but we strictly implement the safety protocols especially during payouts),” she added.
Of the barangays classified as very high-risk areas, only Brgy. 13-B has completed the distribution of the emergency subsidy. SAP payouts will still be conducted in barangays 21-C, 23-C, Leon Garcia, and Buhangin Proper.
In a recent report, DSWD bared that at least 26 employees were subjected to a 14-day home quarantine following their exposure to a suspected case of COVID-19 during payout.
Despite the threat of COVID-19 in the communities, the Department is determined to complete the distribution of the subsidy even in areas with confirmed cases as the thought of still having unserved families up to this date remains a bigger challenge than the unseen coronavirus.
