Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured members of the Aeta community of Barangay Maruglu in Capas town, Tarlac province, that the national government is committed to reaching far-flung areas to serve its constituents.

“We would like you to know that we, from the DSWD, have been assigned by the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reach out to our fellow countrymen to understand your needs and to assure you that the national government has not forgotten about you,” Gatchalian said during the pilot program implementation of the Social Protection for Indigenous Peoples.

As part of the new initiative, the DSWD chief stressed that the agency will reach out to more communities to determine the appropriate interventions based on the unique needs of different indigenous cultural communities and other indigenous peoples.

“We understand that sometimes you feel the distance from the national government, so today, it’s the other way around. We are reaching out to you to understand and comprehend how the DSWD can further assist your community,” Gatchalian said.