AGENCY PlanS

In 2025, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), marking its 75th year of service, operates with a workforce of 38,800 personnel across 17 Field Offices, 26 Central Office OBSs, 26 activities and projects, and 5 core programs. Under the ₱215.82 billion General Appropriations Act (GAA), the Department is accountable for delivering on 33 performance indicators aligned with its mandates.

To fulfill these commitments, the DSWD is implementing its five flagship programs:

• Promotive Program – supporting poverty reduction and social protection interventions that enhance human capital and livelihood.

• Protective Program – safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable, disadvantaged, and marginalized sectors.

• Disaster Response and Management Program – ensuring timely and effective assistance before, during, and after disasters and crises.

• Regulatory Program – setting and enforcing standards for social welfare and development agencies and service providers.

• TARA Program – providing technical assistance to LGUs and intermediaries

Together, these programs reflect the Department’s strengthened commitment to inclusive social protection, effective service delivery, and resilience-building for individuals, families, and communities nationwide under the 2025 GAA.

The DSWD Strategic Plan 2024–2028 was formally adopted through Administrative Order No. 02, s. 2024, committing the Department to a comprehensive strategy management approach that enables it to remain relevant in the new normal, responsive to changing stakeholder expectations, and aligned with the successor Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028. As the government’s lead agency in social protection and poverty reduction, DSWD is tasked to balance cost and value while ensuring meaningful outcomes for the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged, guided by its vision of being the lead in social protection systems by 2028. The execution model of the Strategic Plan is clustered into 12 flagship Projects, each with defined deliverables. Each year, units and staff must establish performance targets tied to their Strategic Contribution Implementation Plans, which in turn operationalize the Project Deliverables of the 12 Projects. Supported by the PDPB in monitoring performance and finalizing measure profiles, the plan establishes a systematic execution model where the 12 Projects serve as the backbone for achieving desired outcomes, institutionalizing reforms, and advancing DSWD’s 2028 Vision Basecamp of being the transformative leader in social protection.

The Secretary’s Roadmap 2023–2028 under DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian envisions a future anchored on investments in human capital and efficient service delivery to strengthen both external and internal clients of the Department. For external clients, the roadmap highlights flagship programs such as Walang Gutom, Pag-Abot (expanded social protection), Tara Basa! tutoring, Pamilya sa Bagong Pilipinas, Apo Ko and Kwento ni Lolo’t Lola, Angel Pets, Gabay ng Kabataan, Project Riayah, IP Social Protection, the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project, targeted Cash-for-Work (LAWA at BINHI), and the revamping of psychosocial interventions, complemented by partnerships like Caritas and community-based support for aged-out clients. It also advances institutional reforms like the DSWD Academy, F1KD (First 1,000 Days), and rationalized nutrition and livelihood programs. For internal clients, it strengthens the workforce through the Angels in Red Vests initiative, DSWD Academy training, and automation of major processes such as AICS, Sustainable Livelihood Program, 4Ps IT systems, and case management under DSWD CARES. The plan also pushes full PhilSys integration, partnerships with banks and e-wallets (GCash e-Panalo), creation of unified ID systems for PWDs, and deployment of digital innovations like the Dynamic Social Registry, Paspas Gobyerno System, HELPS (Harmonized Licensing), DROMIC upgrades, and the Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC). It further strengthens peacebuilding and reintegration through case management for ex-combatants, resource mobilization through the Kaagapay Donations Portal, and transparent communications under Tamang Tulong sa Tamang Impormasyon. Guided by principles of efficiency, innovation, and sustainability, the roadmap emphasizes streamlining, automation, institutionalization of reforms, and program convergence, while addressing emerging issues such as the 2.7 million families still at risk of poverty, thereby shaping a more resilient, innovative, and people-centered DSWD by 2028.

The DSWD Thrusts and Priorities for 2026–2028, anchored on the Strategic Plan 2024–2028 and Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s Roadmap, focus on three themes: human capital investments, rapid and sustained disaster response, and efficient service delivery. These are guided by efficiency (streamlining and automation), innovation, sustainability (institutionalization), and program convergence.

For human capital investments, priorities include strengthening LGUs’ capacity through the DSWD Academy, HELPS, incentive systems, and technical assistance; improving 4Ps households’ well-being via F1KD, revamped FDS and IT systems, empowerment of field staff, migration to e-wallets, and support to 2.7M exiting households. Vulnerability reduction will be pursued through case management, psychosocial interventions, strategic partnerships, Panahon ng Pagkilos, nutrition initiatives, DSWD CARES automation, PhilSys integration, adaptive redesign, and flagship innovations like Walang Gutom, Pag-Abot, Tara Basa!, Pamilya sa Bagong Pilipinas, Angel Pets, Apo Ko, Project Riayah, IP Social Protection, the Unified PWD ID, Empower App, and the Dynamic Social Registry.

For disaster response, priorities include Cash-for-Work (LAWA at BINHI), enhanced response and recovery, upgrading DROMIC with WIMS, Buong Bansa Handa, and scaling the Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) nationwide.

For efficient service delivery, thrusts cover process automation, the Paspas Gobyerno System, Kaagapay Donations Portal, and Tamang Tulong sa Tamang Impormasyon, alongside social technology development, program retooling, organizational audits, and restructuring. Workforce welfare will be advanced through regularization, employee rights protection, the Competency Framework, and institutionalizing Angels in Red Vests.

Altogether, these priorities translate the Strategic Plan into concrete programs and reforms that build resilience, inclusivity, and innovation, ensuring DSWD’s leadership in transformative social protection by 2028.