DSWD, MSU PARTNER TO HELP ORPHANS, ABANDONED CHILDREN IN MARAWI

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Mindanao State University (MSU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to help orphans and abandoned children in Marawi City.

The MOU aims to develop and implement inclusive and culturally-sensitive programs for  children living in “torils” in Marawi City. 

The agreement was signed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and MSU system president, attorney Basari D. Mapupuno at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.

The signing was witnessed  by DSWD Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs Fatima Aliah Dimaporo and MSU presidential management staff, attorney Rashid V. Pandi.

Torils are private educational institutions that provide Qura’an memorization, Arabic language learning, and/or instruction on Islamic values and laws within a residential setting. The informal learning institution accepts stay-in learners.

“There is a segment of poor, marginalized and vulnerable who are too far, too remote, too unfamiliar, or too intimidated with the rules of government that they do not dare to come to us,” Gatchalian said in his short message after the MOU signing.

 Gatchalian said one of his priorities as DSWD chief is to come up with an innovative social protection program for orphans in torils and this is the reason for choosing children as beneficiaries of the project.

 Named Project “Riayah,” the collaboration between the DSWD and MSU is expected to improve the living conditions, education, and overall well-being of the children and orphans affected by the Marawi siege.

 Following the Marawi siege in 2017, poverty has surged dramatically affecting a vulnerable sector of children, including many orphaned and abandoned, who have found refuge in torils.

Last January, Undersecretary Dimaporo prepared the groundwork for Project “Riayah” by conducting field work and immersion in the different situations of Lanao del Sur Islamic Schools and inventory of possible Torils and Madaris schools for the project.

Gatchalian said the DSWD tapped the MSU as its partner in the project because of the latter’s expertise on the Muslim community, including the societal and cultural context of the children in torils.

The MSU president expressed his full support to the project, saying the new partnership will “open many doors of hope and opportunity to the people it intends to serve.”