The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has deployed more social workers and support personnel to its new Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) processing center, reinforcing efforts to provide faster and more efficient service to thousands of Filipinos in crisis and who are seeking aid each day.
Assistant Secretary Juan Carlo Marquez, the DSWD’s co-spokesperson, said the additional personnel ensures that clients can be properly assisted with the new processing center that can also accommodate up to 1,000 individuals at a given time.
“We have added more social workers who conduct interviews and assessments. This means that we can help more people in one day in a more convenient place,” he said in Filipino.
The DSWD also continues to implement measures that have long been in place to cut waiting time, including the streamlining of procedures, Marquez noted.
“Previously, processing took five steps; due to the streamlining of processes, we now have only three steps,” the DSWD co-spokesperson said.
The three steps include securing a queue number, an interview and assessment by social workers, and release of assistance, he explained.
It can be recalled that on July 31, the DSWD transferred the AICS processing center from the agency’s Central Office in Batasan to the Commonwealth Satellite Office in Paragon Place, Quezon City, to provide a more comfortable and accessible venue for beneficiaries.
Clients have also noted the improvements in the implementation of the AICS at the new processing center.
