The Department of Social Welfare and Development called for heightened efforts and investments for the delivery of basic services during 28th ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council Meeting at Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

In his speech to the 33rd Senior Officials Meeting for ASCC, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo affirmed the Philippine's support to the ASCC Blueprint 2025 to develop and strengthen policy and legal frameworks which are responsive to the changing needs of the marginalized and vulnerable sectors amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We reiterate our strong advocacy and call for heightened efforts and investments for the delivery of basic services along health, education, and social welfare services taking note of experiences and challenges during the height of the pandemic as well as in our post recovery efforts," Tulfo said.

"Now more than ever, shock responsive and adaptive social protection interventions will help safeguard the progress we have made in building resilient communities and social protection systems sustainable even with the fast changing environment and shocks," he added.

The DSWD joined other high-ranking officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member-states to discuss development policies geared towards strengthened regional cooperation.

Also discussed in the meeting were the ASCC priority areas achieved for 2022 as well as ASCC concerns and cross-pillar issues including policies to strengthen social protection, climate change adaptation, covid-19 recovery, and reduction of inequalities in the ASEAN region.

They also endorsed substantial outcome documents for adoption and notation of the ASEAN Leaders during the upcoming summits in November.