321 indigent clients served by DSWD-PAO

Services rendered by PAO ranged from free legal counselling to mediation conferences.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Friday said that its partnership with the Public Attorney’s Office has provided legal assistance to 321 clients in 2023.

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said the

PAO lawyers assigned to the DSWD were able to assist 178 walk-in clients, 124 clients who sent emails or letters, and 19 clients via calls.

“We are very fortunate that the DSWD’s partnership with PAO was strengthened in 2022 through a supplemental Memorandum of Agreement to facilitate free legal services to single parents and their children. Thus, we were able to provide a total of 477 services to our clients in crisis,” Lopez said.

Services rendered by PAO lawyers ranged from free legal counselling, referrals or endorsements to other PAO districts or offices, legal documentation or administration of oath, and mediation conferences.

In 2013, the DSWD first entered into MoA with the PAO and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to provide free legal assistance to victims of violence against women and children, children in conflict with the law, and local prospective adoptive parents who are either biological or step-parents in adoption cases.

“In an effort to ensure the welfare of solo parents, the DSWD forged a new commitment with PAO on September 19, 2023 to expand the existing MOA on the provision of legal assistance to its qualified clients,” the DSWD spokesperson said.

The DSWD and PAO signed the supplemental MoA to enforce the provision of free legal services to single parents and their children seeking financial support from the liable parents, according to Lopez.

The partnership was sought by the DSWD following the influx of requests for assistance from lone parents in relation to the lack of financial and child support from their partners.

The PAO committed to extend free legal services and representation to qualified and willing complainants in cases involving the enforcement of child support by assigning PAO lawyers at the DSWD Central Office in Batasan Quezon City to extend legal services to eligible beneficiaries.

The PAO office at the DSWD is open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Interested clients may also call the DSWD-PAO at 8-951-2238.