The Local Government Code otherwise known as Republic Act 7160 directs the devolution of the majority of the Department ™s social services to the local government units (LGUs) transforming its role to that of leadership in the field of social welfare and development and technical assistance provider;

Executive Order No. 15 series of 1998, mandates the DSWD to undertake changes in its roles, functions, organizational processes, corporate values, skills, technology and structure with emphasis on its shift from a rowing to a steering role.  Concurrently, the DSWD's leadership in the social welfare and development efforts are coupled with resource generation activities to mobilize resources to support social welfare and development projects not only of the national government, but also for LGUs, NGOs and other partners implementing social welfare and development programs and services;

The EXECOM in accordance with the DSWD's new mandate, and recognizing the need to expand the outreach of social welfare and development programs and services to meet the minimum basic needs of the disadvantaged sectors, has decided that a specific office shall be designated as the resource generation and project monitoring arm of the Department.  An ADHOC office was created in March 1999 to attend to this emerging need.  However, the bulk of requests and proposals received by the Department has paved the way towards establishing an organic office to address this concern.  This office shall be engaged in establishing linkages and networks with local and international funding agencies; accessing funds from donor organizations, both local and international, and mobilizing resources to support social welfare and development projects of the national government, LGUs, NGOs and other partners carrying out social welfare and development programs and services.

SECTION 1.       Creation of the External Assistance Office - An External Assistance Office (EAO) is hereby created to become the resource generation and project monitoring arm of the Department.  This office is envisioned as a command and management structure that will put in place a comprehensive system for coordinating social welfare and development projects, generating fund sources, and monitoring externally funded projects and ultimately, uplifting the lives of our intended beneficiaries.

SECTION 2.       Functions - The External Assistance Office (EAO) shall be primarily responsible for the promotion and generation of resources for the Department, as well as for the LGUs, NGOs or POs requiring financial development.  The FAO shall also be responsible for monitoring externally funded projects to ensure their timely completion.  It shall tap both foreign and local funding/donor agencies in its project promotion and generation activities.  For this purpose, it is hereby designated to generate external funds both for the Department, and for other organizations engaged in social welfare and development efforts and shall have the following functions:

A.        Resource Generation and Promotion

1.      Organize/conduct/attend resource generation and project promotion activities;

2.      Develop project promotion materials in coordination with Program Bureau and Social Marketing Service;

3.      Coordinate social welfare development efforts of DSWD, other NGAs, LGUs, NGOs, and POs for fund matching;

4.      Establish networking and linkages with donor and proponent organizations;

5.      Provide technical assistance to Field Offices, NGAs, LGUs, NGOs, and POs, in the development and preparation of project proposals in coordination with the Program Bureau and Office of Field Operations;

6.      Develop assessment tools needed for review/screening and endorsement of project proposals;

7.      Package and repackage project proposals for endorsement to funding agencies;

8.      Develop guidelines and procedures for the selection/endorsement of projects for fund matching; and

9.      Generate and gather information regarding donor agencies ™ thrusts and priorities for funding and on the current situation on the various sectors.

B.        Project Monitoring and Evaluation

1.      Conduct periodic monitoring of externally funded projects with focus on fund management;

2.      Conduct terminal evaluation of funded projects;

3.      Establish close coordination/inter-phasing with Program Bureau/Field Offices relative to monitoring results of projects;

4.      Establish data bank of project with funding support and its current status;

5.      Develop monitoring tools and reporting system in relation to the requirements of the funding organization;

6.      Prepare and submit required reports to donor organizations; AND

7.      Establish networking and linkages with donor and proponent organizations.

SECTION 3.       Organizational Structure - The office shall be headed by the Undersecretary for Management, who shall directly oversee the resource generation and project monitoring responsibilities of the EAO.  Project monitoring shall be undertaken by the office relative to externally funded projects.

The Undersecretary for Programs, Plans and Standards shall be responsible for conceptualizing, developing, and implementing special projects of the Department for demonstration or pilot-test basis. Department proposals shall be forwarded to the Secretary for approval.  The day-to-day operations of the EAO shall be managed by the Director for Finance.

For externally assisted projects managed by the DSWD and requiring the setting-up of a Project Management Office (PMO), the PMO shall be supervised by a Project Coordinator who shall be designated by the Secretary and who shall report to the Director for Programs.

For externally assisted projects involving multi-stakeholders (i.e other NGAs, LGUs, NGOs, or POs) with DSWD as the lead agency, the PMO shall be lodged with the EAO supervised by a Project Coordinator who shall be designated by the Secretary and who shall report to the Director for Finance.

This Department Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 28 Feb. 2000

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
Vice President and DSWD Secretary

AMENDMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 2, S. 2000

Department Order No. 2, series of 2000 is hereby amended as follows:

The last two paragraphs of the aforementioned Department Order are hereby revised as follows:

For externally assisted projects managed by the DSWD and requiring the setting up of a Project Management Office (PMO), the PMO shall be lodged under the Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, Plans and Programs, and shall be supervised by a Project Coordinator designated by the Secretary.

For monitoring purposes, the Project Coordinator shall provide regular reports on fund utilization to the External Assistance Office.

This amendment shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 7 April 2000

(SGD.) BELINDA C. MANAHAN
Acting Secretary