SWD Laws Monitoring

Orientation Workshop on the Localization of SWD Laws Monitoring

The Department of Social Welfare and Development as the lead in social protection is mandated to monitor and evaluate the implementation of SWD policies, plans and programs and poverty alleviation efforts in the social welfare development sector (EO.15, S.1998). The Department’s policy-related initiatives are anchored on its vision as stated under AO No. 2 s. 2017 and expected to take the lead in the formulation, implementation and coordination of social welfare and development policies and programs for and with the poor and the vulnerable sectors.

The DSWD Policy and External Affairs Division of the Policy Development and Planning Bureau take the lead in the continuous monitoring of the implementation and compliance to SWD laws. The SWD laws monitoring will aid the department to carry out its mandate in providing technical assistance and resource augmentation on SWD policies and programs implementation particularly with the approaching full implementation of Devolution 2.

As part of our commitment to continuously improve our provision of technical assistance, the Policy Development and Planning Section (PDPS) of DSWD- National Capital Region will conduct a face-to-face orientation on the Localization of SWD Legislation Monitoring Report using the Google form. This aims to provide a more customized orientation that will address your specific issues and concerns encountered in terms of monitoring and preparation of SWD law implementation reports.

The orientation workshop aims to orient and train the Regional Focal Persons on the online monitoring templates of SWD Laws in order to capture and deliver comprehensive assessment reports that are significant in the formulation of essential SWD policies. This workshop will serve as a venue in highlighting the significant roles of Regional Focal Persons and LSWDOs in the monitoring of SWD Laws at the regional and local level.

Specifically, it aims to:

Capacitate LSWDOs on the Enhanced Online Monitoring Tool of the SWD Laws Monitoring System
Familiarize with the online template, timeline, process, cycle and institutionalization arrangements
Acquire the skills to accomplish the online monitoring tools and monitoring process

For calendar year 2024, a total of eleven (11) Local Government Unit submitted the Monitoring Compliance Report.

2023

Out of 17 local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region invited, 16 responded positively and scheduled the activity for their chosen dates. The orientation was successfully conducted between April 16 and May 29, 2024.

Preliminaries. The session commenced with welcome remarks delivered by the Heads or designated Representatives from each City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) within the National Capital Region (NCR). Subsequently, all participants from the CSWDOs and a representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development - Field Office National Capital Region (PDPS-FO NCR) introduced themselves.

Session 1: Context Setting and Objectives: A representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office National Capital Region (PDPS-FO NCR) provided an overview of the activity's context and significance. The representative emphasized DSWD's mandated role in leading the formulation and promotion of social welfare and development (SWD) policies, plans, programs, and projects, including social protection. This mandate extends to the implementation and monitoring of SWD legislation. The representative further highlighted DSWD's role in ensuring compliance with SWD-related laws by both the department and local government units (LGUs). At the regional level, DSWD leads through its chairpersonship of key inter-agency bodies like the Regional Social Development Committee-Subcommittee on Social Protection (RSDC-SCSP) and the Regional Development Council (RDC).

SWD law monitoring is important to detect and correct violations; provide evidence to support enforcement actions; evaluate specific programs and projects as well and identify gaps between the implementation and the mandates of the law. DSWD is expected to provide inputs on country reports in terms of compliance with regional and international commitments.

Session 2: SWD Laws Monitoring Templates: During the session, Ms. Rocamora and Ms. Alcantara, Social Welfare Officers II (SWO II) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office National Capital Region (PDPS), presented the rationale behind the development of a new SWD Law Monitoring Template. While acknowledging the user-friendliness of the current template used for the CY 2022 SWD Laws Monitoring Report compared to previous versions, they highlighted the need for further improvement in the reporting mechanism. To address this, PDPS has developed separate online and offline templates.

SWD Law Monitoring Tool Walkthrough and Simulation

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office National Capital Region (PDPS) technical staff led a walkthrough and simulation of the new SWD Law Monitoring Tool. The tool consists of two components: an online and an offline template.

A. Online Monitoring Template: The online template streamlines data collection on local government units (LGUs) by pre-populating fields such as income classification and annual budget.

LGU compliance with SWD Laws is simplified through pre-defined legal provisions categorized by departmental and LGU responsibilities. CSWDOs can select applicable responses ("Yes," "No," or "Not Applicable") for each indicator.

B. Offline Monitoring Template: The offline template, downloadable by CSWDOs, is designed for detailed reporting.

1. Part 1 focuses on capturing local issuances (e.g., resolutions, executive orders) that localize SWD Laws.

2. Part 2 facilitates the listing of CSWDO programs, activities, and projects.

3. Part 3 allows CSWDOs to identify implementation or policy issues and concerns, along with corresponding recommendations.

Improved Reporting Efficiency

A significant improvement in CY 2023 reporting involves the elimination of the requirement to submit physical copies of supporting documents (Memoranda of Verification, MOVs). Instead, CSWDOs can upload these documents to a shared Google Drive and provide the access link within the report. This reduces cloud storage requirements for submitted reports.

2022

2021

Report abuse