IT WAS in 2000 when the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) organized the Area-Based Standards Network (ABSNet) to institutionalize partnerships with regards to registration, licensing, and accreditation of social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs).
The growing strength of the partnership was manifested in the Year-end Evaluation and Planning cum Christmas Party held at the Prayer Mountain in barangay Tamayong in Calinan, Davao City of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, which operates Children's Joy Foundation Inc., a member of the ABSNet.
Held last December 9, 2016, a total of 45 different agencies and private groups made up of 165 individuals from five ABSNet clusters in the region attended.
On December 9, 2016, the said activity held at Prayer Mountain in Barangay Tamayong, Calinan, Davao City.
Participants were from the five (5) clusters of ABSNet-Davao composed of 45 different agencies with 165 individuals.
The group was welcomed by ABSNet-Davao president Rosemarie Dimagnaong, who is the executive director of Children's Joy Foundation, which operates a P42-million residential care center for abandoned, orphaned, and neglected children in Indangan, Davao City, and six other residential care centers in Quezon City, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Cebu, and General Santos City.
The participants were also given an orientation on Republic Act 10847 ((An act lowering the age requirement for applicants taking the board examinations for Social Workers, providing for continuing Social Work education and upgrading the sundry provisions relative to the practice) by DSWD-Davao Standards Bureau Unit Head Alfredo Sy.
Leah Genson, National ABSNet Federation (NAF) Officer, gave updates on NAF.
After the work, the party followed. In helping the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged groups, it takes more than just one government agency to tackle the job. Working with partners from non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units (LGUs), and people's organizations (POs), among many other well-meaning individuals and groups will ensure a wider service delivery. It was in recognizing this need to network and partner that ABSNet was organized.
NGOs and POs with registration, license, and accreditation would mean that operations were all legal following set standards. In addition, this will provide them with peer help, exchange of information, and expertise.
NGOs and POs will also be able to facilitate to police their own ranks and to complement with the different resources. An opportunity will open for them to be engaged in social welfare activities that will lead them to information services both public and private. The growth of ABSNet confirmed the enthusiasm and willingness of NGOs and LGUs to forge partnership with the DSWD to ensure quality social welfare service delivery, thus, uplifting the living conditions of the vulnerable sectors.
At the start, there were only two ABSNet Clusters: Davao North and Davao City. Davao North was composed of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley Province.
In 2009 another Cluster was organized, the Davao del Sur cluster while in 2013, Davao City Cluster was divided into three ABSNet Clusters, ABSNet Cluster 1st District, 2nd District and 3rd District cluster as the number of partners grew.
ABSNet was proven to be an effective strategy for a participative and collaborative endeavor amongst SWDAs and LGUs along capability building, technical assistance, and resource augmentation.
This year, the ABSNet held several activities including the Regional ABSNet Federation (RAF) officers and Sector representatives meetings, ABSNet Anniversary last March at Abreeza Mall, Mid-year evaluation and planning in July, attendance of members to National Children’s Day celebration in April, and Fun and Talent Day in September. (SAE/With PR)