Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian said Saturday that he and Cebu Provincial Governor Gwendolyn Garcia discuss possible collaboration between the national and local governments in improving the delivery of social services in the province during a courtesy meeting of the two executives on Friday, 8 March, at the provincial capitol.

Gatchalian said they talked about programs on food security and sustainability as well as social protection for persons with disabilities in the province.

Gatchalian also introduced the agency’s Food Stamp Program (FSP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, among others.

DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, DSWD Field Office-7 (Central Visayas) Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero, Asst. Regional Director for Administration Tonyson Luther S. Lee, and Asst. Regional Director for Operations Juanito Cantero joined the Secretary during his courtesy visit to Gov. Garcia.

Gatchalian was in Cebu City where he led the ceremonial kick-off activity for the implementation of the DSWD’s Tara Basa! Tutoring Program in the city.

He also checked the operation of food packs handling at the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Tingub, Mandaue City.

The VDRC serves as the DSWD’s central disaster resource hub in the Visayas region which can produce 15,000 family food packs (FFPs) daily.

Lucero, Lee, and Cantero assisted the DSWD Secretary during the inspection.