Makati City: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian reiterated on Monday that the PHP80,000 financial aid given to ‘Rose’, the woman who was seen crawling out of a sewer in Makati City, is not a reward but a form of livelihood assistance based on existing guidelines and assessment conducted by agency social workers.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian clarified in a televised interview that the aid is part of the community reintegration program aimed at providing individuals with the opportunity to start anew. The financial assistance was determined by an assigned social worker who assessed Rose’s situation and recommended the intervention.

Gatchalian emphasized that the disbursement of funds under DSWD programs adheres to established guidelines and evaluation processes. He also addressed the symbolic title ‘honorary social worker’ given to Rose, apologizing to any social workers who may have felt offended.

As part of the DSWD’s Oplan Pag-abot, the agency is actively working to protect families and individuals from street hazards and reintegrate them into their communities, as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. since 2023. Gatchalian highlighted that the program has helped over 5,000 families transition from street living to safer environments.