A DSWD worker verifies documents for a mother and child at a temporary field office in Davao del Sur, Philippines. The setup aligns with the Pag-abot Program and recent emergency cash transfer rollouts, which have seen over ₱111 million distributed across the Davao region. To streamline these distributions, the DSWD partners with civil society organizations like IDEALS to provide free on-site registration services to vulnerable families.ToDSWD-Davao
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AROUND 38 members of the Ata Manobo tribe have returned to their community in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, through the Pag-abot Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao).
The beneficiaries were transported home on July 7 following the reach-out and profiling activities conducted by DSWD along major thoroughfares in Davao City on July 6.
To ensure their safe and orderly return, the DSWD-Davao Region Pag-abot Program coordinated with the Talaingod local government unit to provide continued assistance and support after their arrival.
“Upang matiyak ang maayos, ligtas, at organisadong pagbabalik ng mga benepisyaryo sa kanilang komunidad, agad na nakipag-ugnayan ang DSWD-Davao Region Pag-abot Program sa Local Government Unit (LGU) ng Talaingod upang matiyak ang tuloy-tuloy na pagbibigay ng kaukulang serbisyo at suporta sa mga naihatid pauwi (To ensure the beneficiaries’ safe, orderly, and proper return to their community, the DSWD-Davao Region Pag-abot Program immediately coordinated with the Talaingod LGU to ensure the continuous delivery of appropriate services and support for those transported home),” DSWD-Davao said on July 9.
The agency said most of the beneficiaries came from Indigenous communities and had temporarily stayed in Davao City to ask for alms or look for livelihood opportunities.
Upon their return, the Talaingod LGU will conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine why they went to the city and identify appropriate interventions to address their needs and prevent them from returning to the streets.
The DSWD said the assessment will help develop long-term solutions, including access to social services, livelihood opportunities, and other forms of assistance.
As of November 2025, DSWD-Davao had assisted 124 homeless individuals through Project Pag-abot. The beneficiaries included 62 from Davao del Sur, 28 from Davao del Norte, 13 from Davao Oriental, and 21 from Davao de Oro.
Of the total number assisted, 53 belonged to Indigenous Peoples communities, particularly the Badjao and Ata groups.
In 2024, the program also assisted five individuals referred to DSWD-Davao, including three families, one individual from Manay, and one from Calinan.
Pag-abot is one of DSWD’s flagship programs aimed at reaching vulnerable individuals, children, and families living on the streets and providing interventions to reduce the risks they face.
The program provides P10,000 in financial assistance for basic needs during transit and another P10,000 for urgent medical needs. It also covers transportation costs, including land, sea, or air travel, as well as hauling of belongings and rebooking fees for canceled or postponed trips.
Qualified beneficiaries may also receive livelihood assistance of up to P100,000, released in up to three tranches depending on assessment results. The program also provides employment assistance, psychosocial support worth P10,000 per session for up to four sessions per month, and community grants to strengthen livelihood and social protection initiatives. RGP
Rojean Grace G. Patumbon
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