The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has stepped in to assist Rose, the woman who went viral after being filmed emerging from a canal in Makati City earlier this week. On Friday morning, the agency provided support not only to Rose but also to other individuals experiencing homelessness in the area.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian announced that Rose will receive PHP 80,000 in financial assistance to help her start a small store—fulfilling what she shared as a long-time dream.
“She said she wants to run a store, and based on our social worker’s assessment, she’s capable of managing one,” Gatchalian said.
The agency is also assessing how it can help Rose’s partner, Jerome, who has welding skills. Gatchalian said they are considering providing him with a welding machine to enable the couple to earn a more stable income.
“Jerome may also undergo training. If we can help him buy a welding machine, their income could become more consistent,” he added.
Gatchalian joined outreach efforts in Makati City streets Friday morning, encouraging more homeless individuals to seek refuge at the DSWD’s “Pag-abot” shelters—a program designed to offer temporary housing and livelihood support.
Rose, now working with the agency, has agreed to help convince others in similar situations to seek assistance. “She will assist us in encouraging others to come to the shelter so they can also receive help,” Gatchalian said.
Rose gained widespread attention earlier this week after a video surfaced showing her exiting a canal in Makati. Authorities later found that she had been using the drainage system as temporary shelter, along with two others.
However, Rose clarified she does not live in the canal and only went in to retrieve a cutter blade she had dropped. The DSWD revealed that she and Jerome previously rented a space in Pasong Tamo, Makati, before falling into homelessness.
