DSWD Caraga goes beyond financial aid for elderly living alone through HELP OP
By Kelvin Kennt R. Generalo
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga is expanding its support for the elderly beyond financial assistance through its program, Help Enhance the Living Condition to Protect Older Persons (Health OP), which provides social protection interventions for elderly persons living alone.
DSWD Caraga Protective Services Division Chief Jessie Catherine B. Aranas shared the initiative during the Kapihan sa PIA with SM City Butuan as part of the celebration of National Elderly Filipino Week on October 6.
“DSWD Caraga has initiated a special program for senior citizens in the region called HELP OP, which focuses on assisting elderly persons who are living alone,” Aranas said.
She explained that while financial assistance remains important, older persons also face other social protection concerns that require interventions beyond the provision of monetary support.
“We understand that beyond financial assistance, there are also other social protection issues that our elderly are facing. That is why we conceptualized a special program, HELP OP. It highlights helping older persons who are living alone,” she added.
According to Aranas, HELP OP responds to various needs of elderly persons, including medical assistance, food, shelter, and family reintegration.
“Beyond their medical and food needs, they also have other needs such as shelter and reintegration, especially those who are living alone. Our HELP OP social workers would coordinate with different agencies to respond to the pressing needs of elderly persons in need,” she told the participants at Kapihan.
210 cases handled since 2020
Data from DSWD Caraga showed that HELP OP has handled a total of 210 cases across the region since 2020. Agusan del Norte recorded the highest number with 57 cases, followed by Surigao del Sur with 41, Butuan City with 37, Agusan del Sur with 33, Surigao del Norte with 28, and Dinagat Islands with 14 cases.
For 2026 alone, HELP OP has already handled 95 cases across the region. Agusan del Norte recorded 20 cases, followed by Surigao del Norte with 18, Butuan City and Dinagat Islands with 15 cases each, Surigao del Sur with 14, and Agusan del Sur with 13 cases.
The figures demonstrate the continuing need for interventions that address the broader welfare and protection concerns of older persons, particularly those who are living alone or have limited family support.
Reconnecting elderly persons with their families
Aranas also highlighted the program’s role in helping elderly persons reconnect with their families. She said HELP OP has already assisted in three reintegration cases, including one senior citizen who was reunited with family after 47 years, another after 45 years, and a recent case involving a beneficiary who was reunited with a sibling after 15 years.
“This service is not part of our Social Pension program, but we go beyond it because we understand that, in the context of social protection, elderly persons need more than financial assistance. They also need care, support, and connection with their families,” Aranas said.
Through HELP OP, DSWD Caraga seeks to strengthen a more comprehensive social protection response for older persons by linking them not only to immediate assistance but also to appropriate government services, community support, and, when possible, their families.
The initiative underscores the importance of ensuring that elderly persons—especially those living alone—are not left behind and continue to receive the care, protection, and dignity they deserve. (KKRG, PIA Agusan del Sur)