By Ma. Teresa Montemayor
MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to improve its service delivery through a digital monitoring and tracking tool designed to streamline the processing of documents and transactions across its offices.
In a news release Tuesday, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the week-long celebration for the agency’s 74th anniversary would be marked by digital innovations with the theme “Bawat Pamilyang Pilipino ay Mahalaga sa Bagong Pilipinas”.
“Ang highlight (The highlight) this week is we improve our services for external clients but we do not forget our internal clients,” he said.
He added the DSWD seeks to make its services more efficient, quality-driven, and client-centered.
Paspas Gobyerno Information System or Paspas G-IS is one of the innovations launched at the opening of the week-long celebration on Monday.
Gatchalian said the project is anchored on Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act, which mandates zero backlog and expedites processing of all government transactions — whether for internal or external transactions.
“We have to make sure that we are not only giving extra love and extra care to our external clients, but also to our colleagues in the office,” he said.
The Paspas GI-S will also include automated tracking and notifications to enforce the 3-7-20 rule, ensuring timely processing, real-time transaction updates to quickly address backlogs and delays, and data-driven analysis to identify bottlenecks and improve operational efficiency.
The DSWD also launched the Harmonized Electronic Licensing Permit System (HELPS), an online system that will help social welfare and development agencies do away from the manual process of applying for registration, licensing, and accreditation.
“From what used to be 6 months of waiting time to get your RLA (registration, license to operate, and accreditation), now we’re down to at least a week or two weeks,” Gatchalian said.
“Kung dati singkwenta na (Before 50) requirements, forms, and steps, now we’re down to less than a dozen steps, forms, and requirements,” he added.
Gatchalian thanked the Protective Services Bureau for easing the application and issuance of clearances for minors travelling abroad (MTA) through the MTA portal.
With the new MTA system, applicants no longer need to submit the required documents physically to any DSWD office nationwide.
Applications with complete, verified, and authentic documents will be processed and issued in one to three days.
Gatchalian said the digital innovations are anchored on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s socioeconomic agenda on digitalization of government processes and operations. (PNA)
