The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) are joining forces to promote volunteerism as a key driver in enhancing the delivery of social protection services nationwide.
The two agencies aim to harness the power of community involvement to make government services faster, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of Filipinos.
In a statement on Thursday, DSWD spokesperson Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao said the agency and the PNVSCA conducted a meeting recently aimed at enhancing the existing partnership between the two institutions by ensuring that volunteer groups can be readily mobilized to support government operations, especially during emergencies.
“We met with PNVSCA, and we were happy to hear the agency’s reassurance that if the DSWD would need volunteers, they can swiftly connect us with concerned agencies to relay our request,” the spokesperson said.
The PNVSCA serves as the government’s coordinating and monitoring agency for all volunteer service programs under Republic Act 9418 or the Volunteer Act of 2007. It works with other national and local government agencies, organizations, and individuals to institutionalize volunteerism, one of the strategies for national development.
In 2023, the DSWD and PNVSCA entered into a partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at creating mechanisms that allow volunteers and organizations to actively participate in mobilizing social protection programs and services.
Dumlao said strengthening this tie-up is timely amid the series of calamities that have recently hit the country.
The DSWD has long worked with volunteer groups and individuals during relief operations, particularly in packing, loading, and distributing family food packs and other essential goods, according to Dumlao.
She added that the DSWD is among the first national government agencies to adopt the PNVSCA’s Bayanihang Bayan Program (BBP), which promotes volunteerism among Filipinos and encourages public servants to take part in social, economic, and humanitarian development activities.
“Volunteerism is more than just lending a hand, it’s an act of civic duty that deepens our unity as a nation. With the help of PNVSCA, we can bring together more Filipinos and even international partners for a shared cause and turn their deep sense of compassion into meaningful action,” Dumlao said.
“Through this tie-up, we also hope to ramp up our appreciation over these people who embody the true spirit of altruism,” she added.
Part of the DSWD and PNVSCA’s partnership, according to Dumlao, is the institutionalization of mechanisms for recognizing outstanding volunteer contributions and strengthening volunteer engagement across government programs.
Under the MOU, the DSWD, through its Regulatory Services and Institutional Development Group (RSIDG), also committed to develop training modules and manuals on volunteering for use by policymakers, organizations, and volunteers nationwide.
“We look forward to propel our partnership to its full potential, and sign up more co-good doers in the valuable work that we do for the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable sectors,” Dumlao said. (PNA)