DSWD Secretary rewards 5,000th Twitter follower with a tweet-up

In what could be a first for a government official, Social Works Secretary Dinky Soliman personally met up with one of her followers on social networking site Twitter on Wednesday for being her 5,000th follower on the site. Harold Estella, a University of the East graduate, said he was surprised when someone called him asking for a meeting with Soliman, who goes by the Twitter handle @dinkysunflower. "My admiration for Sec. Soliman was reinforced when I have finally met her," Estella said. "She is so kind and [a] very down-to-earth Cabinet Secretary," he added. Soliman, one of the more prolific Twitter users in government, in turn gave Estella a few token gifts in appreciation of his brief visit and his social media follow. The two then continued their exchange on—where else?—Twitter after they parted ways.

In a statement, the Department of Social Works and Development emphasized how social media has become an effective tool for the agency to reach out to the public, most especially the youth. Importance of social media to gov't "The DSWD has been using these social media sites to inform the public on various DSWD programs and projects, as well as receiving feedback regarding implementation," it said. Filipino Internet users can follow the agency through its handle @DSWDserve on Twitter, where it posts updates about its various development efforts. Soliman, recognizable for a streak of color in her hair which changes from time to time, had since gained 274 more followers on Twitter after Estella's fateful click of the Follow button, earning him the instant "tweet-up," as Twitter users would say. Asked last year why her Twitter handle is such, Soliman said: "Because sunflowers look up to the sun for optimism and hope." — TJD, GMA News