The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday defended its decision to provide P80,000 in aid to “Rose,” the woman seen crawling out of a sewer in Makati in a photo that recently went viral and sparked a wave of memes on social media.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said during a news forum that the assistance was given after a thorough assessment of Rose’s situation.

Dumlao explained that Rose belongs to the Families and Individuals in Street Situations (FISS), a sector often excluded from the government’s social protection programs due to the lack of a permanent address.

“She wasn’t surveyed, so she wasn’t included in the 4Ps. In addition, she has no children below 18 years old, which is one of the qualifications,” Dumlao said in Filipino, referring to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

To address gaps like this, the DSWD launched the Pag-abot Program in 2023, targeting the needs of those in street-based circumstances. Nearly 3,000 families have so far benefited from the initiative.

According to Dumlao, Rose entered the sewer to retrieve a small blade cutter used in her livelihood — collecting recyclable materials. Her household earns about P300 per day, with additional income coming from her partner who works as a barker.

Rose expressed her willingness to accept financial aid and intends to use the funds to start a small sari-sari store.