MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will launch a new program that is aimed at rescuing homeless people in Metro Manila.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said "Oplan Pag-abot" is a reach-out program for individuals and families living on the streets of Metro Manila.

The agency will be joined by the Commission on Human Rights in reaching out to street dwellers.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Metropolitan Manila Council will also be part of the program.

"Oplan Pag-abot" is one of the latest initiatives of DSWD to address the increasing number of homeless children and families, including indigenous peoples, in the metro.

"It's going to be a regular program sa departmento hindi siya .yung tipong pag may halimbawa malapit na ang pasko pag Christmas season tsaka lang tayo mag karoon ng ganitong klaseng programa kundi mainstay na itong klaseng programa ng departamento," Gatchalian said.

"Hopefully later on we can cascade it to other metro areas na merong same situation,” he added.

The DSWD will work with the local government units.

"Mas alam nila yung kanilang area, mas alam nila yung kanilang mamamayan kaya hindi kami pwede gagalaw lamang sa pamahalaang nasyunal na hindi nakikipag-ugnayan sa ating labing pitong mayors ng Metro Manila," he also said.

The program, according to Gatchalian, is a rights-based approach with built-in safety nets.

"Hindi ho men in uniform ang mag-o-operate, ang magko-conduct ng reach out kundi social workers," he said.

Part of the built-in safety nets, Gatchalian said, is the wearing of body cameras of the social workers while doing the reach out.

There will also be prescribed routes that the Oplan Pag-abot team will follow.

“At ang rutang 'yun all year long iikutan nang iikutan three times a day to make sure na ang mga pamilya natin na nakatira sa lansangan ay na-reach out natin," he said.

On Monday, the reach-out program will start along the entire stretch of Light Trail Transit (LRT) 1 station which includes the cities of Parañaque, Pasay, Manila, and South Caloocan.

The program was piloted last March in Pasay.

Initially, the DSWD has already profiled 200 individuals in Manila, 227 in Pasay, and 278 in South Caloocan.

The Oplan Pag-abot has 5 steps.

First, an ocular visit to the target pilot sites, followed by profiling of beneficiaries then the actual reach out.

Assessment and service delivery will be undertaken after the actual reach out. The last process will be monitoring and follow-up.

“Meron tayong package na iaabot, una 'yung employment of technology to make sure mabigyan na sila some type of identification, alam natin na ang ID is a basic human rights, the right to have identification kung sino ka and alam natin na ang mga pamilya at indibidwal ba nakatira sa lansangan at unfortunately halos wala talagang identification, so we really make sure na may part ng technology kung saan yung part ng data base maiipon natin gradually para mabuo natin yung picture kung sino ba ang pamilyang nakatira sa lansangan para alam natin para ano pang intervention ang dapat nating gawin para sa kanila," Gatchalian said.

Among the interventions that will be given to the beneficiaries are the Balik Probinsya Programs for those from the provinces, while those living in Metro Manila will also be included in some programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

Those who will be under the Balik Probinsya program will be given economic grants and will be monitored by the respective regional DSWD Offices.

The identified beneficiaries will be taken biometrics also for monitoring.

Once the program succeeded in Manila, Gatchalian said it will be expanded in the other greater metro areas that have a similar situation.