Legazpi City, Albay – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V – Bicol Region launches its official guarantee letter (GL) partnership with Simon of Cyrene Rehabilitation and Development Foundation, Inc., which will strengthen the support to the Person with Disability (PWD) community.

Through the continuous effort of the DSWD Bicol’s Crisis Intervention Section (CIS), the Bicolanos with special needs particularly in assistive device may now avail the services offered by Simon of Cyrene through a guarantee letter.

As the partnership commence today, June 3, 2025, the Agency is expecting positive and enhanced access to financial assistance for the individuals with disabilities across the region.

Prior to the launching, on May 27, 2029, the DSWD Bicol Team conducted a visit and ocular inspection to check Simon of Cyrene’s facilities and production of prosthesis.

In a message, Ms. Donna M. Osial, CIS head, explained the collaboration and the process to avail the assistance.

“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘺𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘋𝘚𝘞𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴,” she explained.

Simon of Cyrene is the first assistive device service provider to partnered with DSWD Bicol, while the Agency has built an official collaboration with different hospitals, medicine and laboratories service providers, as well as funeral parlors.

This initiative underscores the Department’s commitment, which mirrors Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s directives in upholding the rights and inclusion of PWDs to the government programs and services.

DSWD Bicol under Regional Director Norman S. Laurio remains committed to supporting all the in-need Bicolanos through providing compassionate and efficient services. ##