DSWD YAKAP BAYAN ADVOCACY ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT As of June 10, 2021

Background

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as a member of the InterAgency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), and as the lead agency in social protection, has developed and been implementing the Yakap Bayan Framework of Intervention since 2016. Yakap Bayan uses a whole-of-nation approach which weaves together all readily available resources of the local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), civil society organizations (CSOs), the academe, and religious groups to reintegrate the recovering persons who used drugs (RPWUDs) back into their families and to the fold of the society while transforming them into volunteers, advocates, and community leaders. To replicate the Yakap Bayan practice and its success all over the Philippines, the DSWD, through its mandate to provide technical assistance and resource augmentation to LGUs in the implementation of social welfare and development programs and services, has translated the Framework into the Yakap Bayan Program. This program is being promoted nationwide for institutionalization at the LGU level. This report contains the accomplishments of the DSWD from January to June 10, 2021, highlighting updates of implementation of various activities under the Yakap Bayan program.

Accomplishments/Updates

A. Policy and Plans

One of the milestone accomplishments was the issuance of the DSWD Memorandum Circular (MC) No 33, series of 2020 which institutionalizes the components, case  management process, implementation procedures, and menu of services of the Yakap Bayan Program. The MC provides concrete course of actions that will guide LGU AntiDrug Abuse Councils (ADACs) in the implementation of the reintegration program and serves as reference for DSWD offices, bureaus, services, and its Field Offices in providing technical assistance, resource augmentation, and mentoring to the program’s implementers. With the MC in place, the Yakap Bayan Program has been institutionalized as one of the core technical assistance (TA) strategies of the Department. As part of monitoring its program goals and accomplishments, the DSWD YBP Technical Working Group formulated with a roadmap which visually presents the programs target until 2024 (see attached roadmap).

B. Replication and Adoption of the Yakap Bayan Program

DSWD, through its Social Technology Bureau (STB), continues to carry out social marketing activities for the replication and adoption of the Yakap Bayan Program by the LGUs.

DSWD-STB continues to provide capability building activities and social marketing to three model LGUs, including Tuy, Batangas; Barbaza, Antique; and Glan, Saranggani Province.

C. Updates on the Implementation of the Social and Behavioral Change Communication Plan

The Department formulated a Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Plan to attain its goal of improving the well-being and social functioning of RPWUDs and creating an environment that is conducive to their recovery. One of the initial activities identified in the SBCC plan was the development of information, 
education, an communication (IEC) materials, which shall be used in the social marketing for the adoption/replication of the Yakap Bayan program by the LGUs. DSWD, through its Social Marketing Service (SMS), has developed the following SBCC materials for its target audiences.

D. Publicity efforts

Even in the midst of the pandemic, the Department made various publicity efforts through the issuance of press releases to the media, especially with the issuance of the MC in December 2020, as provided below. The Department also developed social media cards on Yakap Bayan for posting on DSWD’s official social media accounts. 

1. Articles Published/for publication 

2. Social Media Posts

E. Program-Specific Efforts & Initiatives of DSWD Offices/Bureaus/Services

The Department has a Yakap Bayan Technical Working Group (YB-TWG) which oversees the implementation of program-specific efforts and initiatives of the TWG-member bureaus and services. The YB-TWG ensures that the Department’s interventions under the Yakap Bayan program are available and sufficient. 
Under the guidance of the YB-TWG, the following are the updates on the efforts and initiatives of the TWG member-offices/bureaus/services for the reporting period with the unified goal of advocating for LGUs to replicate and/or adopt the Yakap Bayan program. 

Program Specific Updates per Bureau/Service/Units

DSWD-STB

• Development of the Multi- Dimensional Reintegration (MDR) Tools for case management with user’s guide, standard weight allocation, digitized tools, and enhanced social reintegration framework.
• Development of Aftercare Session Guides to support the recovery of Children Who 
  Used Drugs.
• Development of standard Aftercare Session Guides for Adult Persons Who Used Drugs forthe guidance of LGU Social Workers.
   

DSWD-Policy Development and Planning Bureau

• Development of Yakap Bayan Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
• Development of the Social Reintegration Framework for the Yakap Bayan Program
• Development of the Multi-Dimensional Reintegration Tools

DSWD-Information Communications Technology Management Service

• Finalization of System Design for the Yakap Bayan Program Information System
• System development for the deployment of the Yakap Bayan Program Information System
• System Orientation and User Acceptance Testing for Central Office and Field Offices
• Revision of the Intake Form for the program
• Finalization of the Non-Disclosure Agreement
• System deployment (Conduct of Vulnerability Assessment Test and production) towards the development of an accessible information system for the Yakap Bayan Program
   

DSWD- Social Welfare & Institutional Development Bureau

• Finalization of the Yakap Bayan Program Training Modules/Training Manual
• Developed the E-Learning Materials for the Program as part of the E-Learning Course
• Conduct of National E-Learning Course on YBP: A Trainer’s Training

DSWD-Program Management Bureau

• Provision of technical assistance to DSWD Field Offices on basic Case Management Process of the RPWUDs
• Provision of Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and other forms of  assistance to RPWUDs
• Orientation with CIU Social Workers on How to Assess RPWUDs Clients

DSWD-Standards Bureau

• Development of Assessment Tool for the Accreditation of Special Drug Education Center (SDEC)

DSWD-Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

• National and Regional Level Capacity Building and Development on the Family Development Session Module on Drug Abuse Prevention and on Systematic 
  Training on Effective Parenting (STEP)

DSWD-Sustainable Livelihood Program

• Provision of livelihood assistance to RPWUDs and continuous monitoring on referrals of RPWUDs clients for livelihood support interventions.
   

DSWD-Kalahi CIDSS

• Engagement of Yakap Bayan Program participants in the employment opportunities and activities in the sub-projects implemented in the communities.

Ways Forward

With the institutionalization of the Yakap Bayan Program implementing guidelines, the different member- offices, bureaus, services and units have embarked on a series of activities and programs to intensify the DSWD advocacy for the adoption of the LGUs of the said program.

DSWD is continuously carrying out social marketing activities for the replication and adoption of the Program through its Social Technology Bureau (STB). To date, the Department is also firming up its commitment to the Philippine Anti-Drugs Strategy for the period 2021-2022 which encapsulates DSWD’s advocacy thrusts and initiatives. The Department also crafted a Yakap Bayan communication plan for the year 2021 based on the SBCC plan. The communication plan will serve as the implementation guide for all communication endeavors of DSWD for the year, which includes publicity support, IEC development, research for the Yakap Bayan program. The DSWD Yakap Bayan TWG will be launching the program in line with the observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The Department will also be embarking on massive information dissemination campaign once the YBP program collaterals are finalized.