Quezon City- The very active Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary REX Gatchalian look into possible collaboration in a productive meeting on providing social welfare services to the people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during a courtesy call at the DSWD Central Office last December 18, 2023.

The DSWD Secretary highlighted some of the major programs of the agency, including the Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program (FSP), which provides a holistic approach to combat involuntary hunger by providing its beneficiaries with access to monetary-based assistance and also invites them to become more productive citizens by participating in capacity building and training to improve their employable skills.

“DSWD and the Malaysian government, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Services and Development of BARMM, can collaborate on the expansion of the FSP in the said region after its pilot implementation” .Gatchalian added.

The Ambassador together with diplomat staff are willing to be instrumental of positive change of brethren in Mindanao especially in BARMM. In the good synergize of The Embassy and DSWD iniatives.

Also attended during the meeting are Deputy Chief of Mission Mohd Fareed Zakaria; Counsellor Nurriha Ahmad; and Police Attaché Supt. Norazman Hassan Basari.

DSWD officials who present are: Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay; Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo; and Assistant Secretary for Partnerships Building and Resource Mobilization Ana Maria Paz B. Rafael.