The Department of Social Welfare and Development brought joy to families as it continues to reunite individuals with their relatives this Christmas season through the Oplan Pag-Abot.

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Irene Dumlao said the intensified implementation of the project this December, dubbed 'Pag-Abot sa Pasko', gained success in reintegrating the elderly as well as children into their families.

"Pag-Abot sa Pasko exemplifies our commitment to bringing families together, especially this yuletide season," Asst. Sec. Dumlao, who is the agency's data privacy officer and co-spokesperson, emphasized.

Dumlao said two children were successfully reunited with their mother after they were reached out by the Pag-Abot Team in Pasay City on 20 December.

"The team came across these siblings and brought them to the processing center for food provision before they were accompanied to Manila where their mother stays," the DSWD official said.

In a separate reach-out operation, an 84-year-old elderly man was reunited with his family after the Pag-Abot Team brought him back to his hometown in Sitio Banat, Barangay San Ramon East, in the Municipality of Manabo, Abra on December 14.

According to Asst. Sec. Dumlao, 'Tatay Alfredo' was reached out by the DSWD Pag-Abot team in Quezon City in September and was immediately endorsed for temporary residential care at the Golden Reception and Action Center for the Elderly and Other Special Cases (GRACES), a DSWD-run center and residential care facility.

"Part of the interventions under the project for families and individuals in street situations is the provision of temporary shelter while awaiting for their actual reintegration into their families and communities," Dumlao pointed out.

Oplan Pag-Abot is among the flagship programs of the DSWD, under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, to help, support, and protect individuals and families living in the streets by providing them with appropriate interventions.

Under the project, the reached-out families are provided with various programs and services such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program and Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-Asa Program (BP2), while others are referred to DSWD-run Centers and Residential Care Facilities for temporary shelter.

The Pag-Abot sa Pasko will run until December 31 to reach out to more families and individuals who flock to the streets to beg during the yuletide season and reintegrate them into their respective families.