Valuing the health and safety of society’s most vulnerable, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) of the Bicol region started an information drive about the Novela
Corona Virus (NCoV) integrating it in the Family Development Sessions (FDS) conducted for beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

This February 10, 2020, DSWD Field Office V Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, CESO II signed a memorandum directing the department’s city/municipal links to include educational
discussions about the NCoV in the FDS.

The informative talks would include timely information of what the NCoV is, its symptoms, mode of transmission, preventive measures, and an overview on proper sanitation, hand washing, and hygiene.

Integrating the said information drive in the FDS is a timely and strategic move, with FDS being one of the prime conditions in 4Ps inclusion. The City/Municipal Links of DSWD have been instructed to coordinate with the nearest City/Municipal Health Office, located in their respective area of assignment, for planning of the FDS schedule.

Informative and educational communication (IEC) materials, provided by the Department of Health (DOH), will also be utilized in the FDS in order to maximize the people’s understanding
of this new illness.

It can be recalled that the NCoV is a new strain of virus that broke out in the East Asian region earlier this year. According to the World Health Organization, this strain of virus has not been
previously identified in humans.