The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) field office in Northern Mindanao has taken custody of the 17 senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), who were rescued from an unregistered care facility in Maramag, Bukidnon.
The DSWD carried out the operation with concerned authorities last October 11 upon receiving information that the facility—the Bukidnon Multi-Sectoral Services Foundation Incorporated—was reported to be unsafe and unsanitary, risking the individuals’ health and well-being.
“Apart from not having proper registration, its residents were placed in a complicated and dangerous situation. The authorities immediately conducted a rescue operation to ensure the safety of the clients,” DSWD Assistant Secretary and co-spokesperson Juan Carlo Marquez said on Wednesday.
Marquez said the Bukidnon residential facility was not authorized to function as a social welfare and development agency (SWDA) based on a visit and inspection by the DSWD Northern Mindanao in February and April this year.
The facility violated the need for hygienic toilets and sleeping quarters, including the absence of safety standards. The DSWD field office also noted the lack of a case management system, proper documentation of client-residents, and qualified in-house caregivers.
The 17 rescued residents are now under the temporary custody of DSWD-managed facilities, while some were transferred to local residential centers that are better suited to provide care for them.
Under Republic Act 10847 or the Social Work Practice Law, the DSWD is mandated to issue a registration, license to operate, and an accreditation certificate prior to operating as a social welfare and development agency.
As the lead agency in social protection, the DSWS is tasked to ensure that facilities implement social welfare programs according to quality standards.
The DSWD reaches out to facilities without registration and license to operate, providing technical assistance and offering them the opportunity to comply.
“As instructed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, we boosted our monitoring activities for the SWDAs. This is not meant to police their operations or find fault, but to ensure that the elderly, children, persons with disabilities that they (SWDAs) are committed to serve are indeed well cared for,” Marquez explained.
This year, the DSWD has issued cease and desist orders (CDOs) to two care facilities in Central Luzon for various violations.
