Social workers to commemorate 48th year of R.A. 4373

Posted on by edlariza

It will be another opportunity for Social Workers to take the center stage with the week-long celebration of the 9th Social Work Week in Western Visayas  on June 13-19, 2013. With the  theme  Resiliency and Advocacy: The Power of Social Work, the event will kick off with a motorcade on June 13 simultaneously in  various provinces/cities in Region VI. It will followed by opening program in respective venues. The theme has been adapted from the National Association of Social Workers.

On June 14 -16  Social Work students from five schools of Social Work in Panay and Negros will hold their 3-day Regional Social Work Camp. To be hosted by Central Philippine University, the other participating schools are, as follows: Capiz State University, Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Iloilo Doctors College, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos. Literary and musical contests and sports fest  will be held at Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus.

Simultaneous with the Social Work Camp, the National Association for Social Work Education, Inc. (NASWEI)- Western Visayas will hold a Regional Conference  on June 15 at Central Philippine University. This will be participated in by faculty and field work supervisors of the aforementioned schools of Social Work.

On June 18-19,  the Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc. (PASWI) -Iloilo Chapter will host the regional convention of social workers in Western Visayas at Sarabia Manor, Iloilo City. One of the  highlights is the launching of the Social Workers Organizations Regional Network (SWORN).

SWORN will keep the rich heritage and tradition alive by strengthening the social work organizations/ groups in Western Visayas. It will serve as coordinating body of all social work organizations affiliated with recognized national bodies, as well as other independent ones.

SWORN will also act as support system to the regular activities of various organizations, and advocacy network to support the cause of Ilonggo social workers when needed. The network will spearhead the celebration of Social Work Week in Region VI. Moreover, it will be responsible for research-documentation and publication of the history, heritage and future development of social work endeavors in Western Visayas.

The annual celebration has been institutionalized by respective ordinances/ resolutions of city and provincial councils in Western Visayas to recognize of the role of social workers in nation building.

It will be recalled that the passage of R. A. 4373 or Social Work Law on June 19, 1965 has regulated the practice of social work and the operation of social welfare agencies in the Philippines. Subsequently, it has created a new interest in social work and in the field of social welfare.

Education vis-à-vis development

Posted on by edlariza

It’s just today that I realized how busy I had been for the past three weeks when I visited my blogs. I made it a point to update my blogs at least once a week to raise my Alexa rank. Alexa is a quick and easy way to estimate how popular your site is compared to other sites. Ratings start from 1 to 20,000,000 and even beyond. The lower the number, the better your rating is. That  has become my self imposed challenge  to test my reflexes without necessarily stressing myself.  Assessing the backlog vis-à-vis  my limits, I decided to repost my previous blogs according to their value and relevance. The following article, first published as What Education Should Be on Blogcritics two years ago, suits this particular blog.

It’s graduation season, particularly here in the Philippines. A time for jubilation of graduates and respective families. Also, a time to reflect on concepts of education and corresponding issues on the state of our educational systems.

Education as a basic right

There is a widespread global acceptance of the principle that education is a fundamental human right. This has been enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Education is therefore an essential public service. Every state or country is mandated to deliver such and take full responsibility for the good and welfare of its citizens. Gone were the ancient days when the chosen few were destined to be rulers, officers of the army, engineers, lords, teachers and priests through education. At the expense of the vast majority of peasants, laborers and serfs and their generation being deprived of such privilege.

Education as an agent of change

It has been said that the heart of education is the education of the heart. As such, education is an agent of change: change of values, as well as structures. An educated person is one who has undergone the process of transformation. From a passive spectator of the events taking place in society, an educated person has become an active participant in the affairs of his/her community.

Education and Development

Education, inevitably, leads to development. A skilled and knowledgeable citizen is a key to development. Since education produces new knowledge, ability and skills in continuous improvement in all aspects, the growth of national product is inevitable. But the contribution of education does not stop there. As Fritz Machlup noted, in his book Education and Economic Growth, “it has been taken for granted that education would increase respect for law and order and promote a climate conducive to peaceful social, political and economic development.”

As a basic right, education is supposedly an equalizer that provides opportunities for change in persons, as well as structures, thereby transforming a passive individual into an agent of societal change and subsequent development of a nation.

Such assumptions on what education should be present a bright picture of the kind of world we ought to live in. Considering the century-long progress in respective educational systems, we expect to see results, such as wrldwide literacy and subsequent development in all aspects of life.

Sadly, the present realities prove otherwise. In many instances, education continues to be a sieve which tends to separate the chaff from the grain. The expected transformation does not take place. Exploitative structures leave educated persons either perpetrators or powerless victims of systems. Katarina Tomaševski, first UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, made a compilation global report before her death.

This first global report on laws and practice in 170 countries exposes the discrepancy. What has been proclaimed as free and compulsory education is deliberately betrayed. The problem is not necessarily due to the proverbial “insufficient public resources,” but the politics involved—either the lack of political will to effect the change or the interplay of complex factors and processes dominating the world system.

The next question is why? What is the root cause of the gap between what education should be and what it is now? Activists are quick to explain the culprit: a colonial, commercialized educational system being perpetuated globally. However, others dismiss this as mere sloganeering expected from radicals. What do you think?

Resurrection and Social Work

Posted on by edlariza

Resurrection has been considered the cornerstone of Christian faith. Inexhaustible commentaries have been done about its relevance to our lives with particular emphasis on respective areas or angles.

Two years ago, while still in the process of resolving the ambivalence in my life’s experiences brought about by critical health condition partly because of my voluntary work, I poured out my thoughts and emotion on blogs to fight depression. In one of my blogs, I viewed resurrection through the eyes of volunteerism. I want to share the following article that was first published as Resurrection: A pay back? on PADAYON: Our Life Journey and Ezine Articles. I changed the title to Resurrection and Social Work in my belief that Social Work is more than a profession. It is a vocation which is akin to volunteerism.

Let me propose this angle in addition to the unlimited significance of the resurrection of Jesus. Viewing resurrection as a reward to the greatest volunteer the world ever had. A precedence that may inspire millions of nameless volunteers worldwide. No matter how unsolicited this inspirational piece appears to some, though. Others may dislike this proposal. Volunteers will even protest the title. But certainly majority will agree with the claim that Jesus is the greatest volunteer. So, let’s start from this commonality and settle the differences later in this article.

Biblical writers have various description of the voluntary act of Jesus. But I like the Pauline version in Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV): “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

The Gospel records instances when Jesus insists on undergoing the voluntary process despite the supposed favor from people who know him as the messiah. When John the Baptist appears reluctant to perform the baptism ritual, Jesus prevails on him: “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 4:14-15)

Many times, Jesus rebukes his disciples in their actuations to seek redress to injustice and discrimination against his dignity. Unwelcome in his attempt to bridge the gap between warring cultures, he suffers discrimination in one Samaritan village. When James and John insinuate punishment to the humiliating experience, Jesus forbids them. (Luke 9:51-55). Jesus calmly tells Peter to hold peace, in the latter’s attempt to fight back against the savagery of his captors: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53)

He washes his disciple’s feet at the height of leadership struggle position during the last supper. The lobbying of both John and James and their mother for position in the kingdom might have sparked the internal conflict. Hence, nobody appears willing to do the menial t ask which earlier they enjoy taking turns. Jesus volunteers.

Jesus consistently exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism in his lifestyle and teachings. He voluntarily follows all the requirements of the law, although in some instances, he deliberately skirt man -made unreasonable insertion and imposition to the requirements of God. He successfully passes the final challenge in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Those interested to join the National Volunteers Summit may visit this link

Those are interested to join the National Volunteers Summit may visit this link

Subsequently, the divine justice expedites the awarding ceremony for the greatest volunteer in the world. St. Paul beautifully uses this clincher to the narrative of Jesus voluntary act: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

I am not advocating pay back mentality. Jesus even issues a strange rebuke to the perpetrators and perpetuators of this kind of mentality in Luke 14:12- 14. “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Social Work students of Central Philippine University pose for posterity after the forum on volunteerism sponsored by the Department of Social and Iloilo Coalition of NGOs and POs (ICON). An umbrella network of volunteers and development advocates, ICON allocates a day for volunteerism endeavors in the week-long celebration of NGO- PO Week in Iloilo.

Certainly, volunteers do not expect rewards. The last parable in the Gospel of Matthew (25:31-46) confirms this with the scenario of great surprises. In the final end, during the awarding ceremony, as the chaff is separated from the grain, sheep and goat divided, the result is beyond expectation. But volunteers receive their awards.

True, volunteers do not expect awards. But who can question God’s divine justice to recompense the faithful? Is there something wrong in viewing resurrection as a payback for volunteerism?

 

Glim of hope for this year’s national celebration of Social Work Week

Posted on by edlariza

The recent celebration of the World Social Work Day and the contagious enthusiasm  of the national leadership both of Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc. (PASWI), National Association for Social Work Education, Inc.  (NASWEI) and other social work organizations have given us a glim of  hope that this year’s celebration of the Social Work Week in the Philippines will be different.

Having led the group and individuals  that consistently advocate for the annual celebration, I cannot help but  go  over my memoirs  and find some highlights which, hopefully, challenge the new set of officers of aforementioned organizations to act for the synchronization and institutionalization  of our celebration.

The chronology of events started with excerpts of  the position paper submitted to the national body during the Chapter Presidents Assembly on July 29, 2005:

“Some weeks after the 2004 National Convention of PASWI and NASWEI in Baguio City and Zamboanga City, respectively, a series of joint meetings and regional consultations were held in Iloilo City for updating especially for those who were not able to attend the two conventions.

 In a particular meeting, the paradigm shift on policy advocacy was given emphasis which led participants (mostly NASWEI member schools) to exhaustively look for ways and means in pooling resources to deliberately and systematically promote the Social Work profession and its significant role in effecting social transformation. In the process, we found out that this year is the 40th year of the Social Work Law. So, we thought of making the occasion a good opportunity to unite in promoting our profession.

sw-1

With such discovery, we were very excited to think of activities to maximize the celebration. We thought of coming up with a resolution requesting then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) to declare June 13-19 as Social Work Week in Western Visayas, as it will be within our area of influence. It gained strong support from other social work-led organizations and alliances in the region, as well as government officials and NGO leaders in the Regional Development Council. However, the Regional Development Council, which endorsed our resolution, opted for the national declaration as the Social Work Law is national in scope. Hence, the declaration should benefit other provinces in various regions.

sw-2 (1)Getting the clue from people in the authority, we informed both the PASWI and NASWEI National board through e-mail of this discovery and subsequent move to solicit support either through endorsement of the resolution or making a national resolution related to the regional resolution. (For the PASWI, my first communication was sent to the Chairman of the Board as early as 2nd week of March, copy furnished to other members latter. Eventually, I communicated with the National President).

We also ask for the support of DSWD Secretary. After some follow up, we were informed that the Office of the President has forwarded the request to the DSWD Central Office for comment. Consequently, the Execom acted favorably on the resolution and waited for the endorsement from PASWI National leadership. On April 7,2005, the national board decided to endorse the resolution only to retract it later.

The following issues were raised by the PASWI National Board when it flip flops in its endorsement of the Social Work Week: lack of knowledge of the Board regarding the DSWD-PASWI 2003 pending request to change the November Social Welfare Week to Social Welfare and Development Month; the perceived confusion that may come up in the future should Social Work Week be declared in June; and the absence of proper protocol.”

SW Week

After some hassles and dazzles,  the PASWI National called for the national celebration sans former PGMA declaration and subsequently called for  Consultation Dialogue and General Assembly with the PASWI Local Chapters on July 29-30, 2005  to discuss thoroughly the proposed national celebration of Social Work Week in June. It resulted to PASWI  Board Resolution No. 011-05 declaring the month of June  as  Social Work and Development Month with request to PGMA for official declaration.

In 2006, PASWI  continued to call for national celebration.2006

In 2007, the new president reiterated the organization’s commitment for the celebration. However, due to election time and advocacy for the Magna Carta for Public Social Workers, the celebration was not given much focus.

Another nationally coordinated call was issued through the memorandum of the PASWI President  in 2009 to coincide  with the conduct of the Philippine World Social Work Day.

Froilan

However, there appears to be a lull in the national celebration  since 2010 for whatever reasons. Still, we sustain the celebration in the region by virtue of the respective provincial/city resolutions/ordinances.

Observing  how  the national leadership , as well as the regions  promoted the World Social Work Day, I tend to believe that this year’s celebration will be different from previous years.  I have seen a  glim of hope that the national leadership will work actively like what they did in the March 19 celebration or even more.

2009 celebration

Maybe this year or next year. Or, perhaps, a year after- sort of birthday gift for the 154th birthday of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal,  which happens to be the Golden Year of Social Work Profession in the Philippines.

On the second thought, with the history of  our  national associations  to handle policy advocacy endeavors,  e.g. Magna Carta for Social Workers,  etc.,  we have also learned to patiently wait.

But certainly,  it will never  be forever.

Social Workers in the past 50 years (A sequel)

Posted on by edlariza

By: Atty. Ma. Dolores J. Nalumen

THE TREE GROWS (1958 – 1988)

Having built a name and corporate reputation by this time, PASW increasingly became involved in national and international organizations, such as the Citizens Council for Mass Media, the Presidential Arm for Community Development, the Council for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, the IFSW and UNESCO. In 1959, it was accepted as a member of the International Conference on Social Welfare.

Social workers were busy entertaining international visitors among them Miss Evelyn Hersey, former UN Technical Adviser on Social Welfare and Mr. R.S. Soediman, Social Welfare officer from Indonesia, and attending international conferences as early as 1961. In the field of education, PASW brokered the meeting of heads and representatives of schools of social work in 1964, to discuss curriculum requirements for undergraduate education. This resulted in the formation of the SSWAP, the predecessor of NASWEI. Their second workshop was held on July 17 – 19, 1968 at the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in Silang, Cavite which was sponsored by the UNICEF and the Department of Social Welfare.

Social Work

There was also an accelerated involvement in social action and legislation. In 1961, PASW nominated among its ranks members to the First Board of Examiners. On June 1, 1967, R.A. 5178 was passed which amended R.A. 4373. It provided for licensing to practitioners with 5 or more years experience even without passing the Board exams.

On November 7, 1967, R.A. 4836 creating the JDRC of Q.C. was formally implemented with registered social workers in its social services division. In May 1968, with strong advocacy from PASW, the law creating the Department of Social Welfare and Development was passed and Pres. Ferdinand Marcos inducted into office the first secretary, Gregorio Feliciano.

Social workersStrong and sustained advocacy of social workers also played a role in the passage of PD 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code on December 10, 1977. This period also saw the creation of provincial chapters, of which the first recorded was Davao, later followed by Dagupan and Antique. Other chapters followed in Cebu, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Batangas, etc.

Fund-raising was likewise a major activity of PASW, such as sponsoring a movie premier to fund its Volunteer Center, and a shower party where members and friends donated things like teaspoons, coffee percolator, paper cups, and flower vases for the PASW office.

In 1977, social workers were honored for the first time by PRC which awarded Mrs. Josefa J. Martinez as Outstanding Social Worker. PRC gave this award every year, and the latest awardee was former PASWI President Angela Pangan. Other awardees were usually former PASW Presidents like Miss Teresita Silva, Miss Petra de Joya, Miss Leonora de Guzman, Minister Sylvia Montes, Mrs. Consuelo Herrera and CSC Chairperson Corazon Alma de Leon.

PASW TO PASWI, A BIG TREE (1988 – 1998)

PASWI

1988 was the Ruby Anniversary of PASW. It was a unique celebration because it was a rebirth of sorts. SEC had removed PASW from its list in 1980 due to inadvertent omission to submit the necessary documents and reports. So it was reincorporated, this time as PASWI, and its projects and activities continued unabated and with renewed forum. The biennial conferences became an annual occurrence and more chapters were fervor.The Association has had 27 presidents including the present, Sonia Cueto, in its 50 years of existence. It has amended its Constitution and By–laws about half a dozen times. It counts 2,000 paid up members and 72 chapters nationwide. It has conducted 15 national biennial conferences and 10 national conventions and countless seminars and workshops for the professional growth of its members.

The PRC reports that there are at present 8,000 registered social workers. Yet PASWI reports a nationwide membership of 2,000. There is, then, much more to be done to include all these registered social workers in PASWI.

PASWI’ s  CHALLENGE

Pending with Congress are two bills beneficial to social workers which dearly love to see become laws. The Magna Carta for Social Workers and the amendment of the Local Government Code to include the mandate for local government executives to hire social work professionals only.

(Blogger’s Note: The Magna Carta for Public Social Workers was finally approved on April 11,2007)

_____________________________

A sequel to the Keynote Address delivered by Atty. Ma. Dolores J. Nalumen, PASWI National Vice President, during the First Regional Assembly of PASWI in Western Visayas at Punta Villa, Iloilo City on October 15, 1998

Social Workers in the past 50 years

Posted on by edlariza

By: Atty. Ma. Dolores J. Nalumen

A SEED IS PLANTED

“A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants…” Matthew 13:31

Atty. Ma. Dolores J. Nalumen

Atty. Ma. Dolores J. Nalumen

So do we liken our Association, PASWI, to that small seed planted 50 years ago by a small group of intrepid and committed women. During the post liberation period, the Philippines, still reeling from devastation of  WWII, was rebuilding her economy and rehabilitating her social life. A group of professional social workers who had acquired their social work academic degrees from the U.S. met at the PNRC Headquarters on November 12, 1947, spurred by their love for their country, to discuss how they could make an impact and contribute to her rehabilitation. They decided that at no other time than then in the Philippine history so far did the country need their expertise as social workers.

On April 18, 1948, the Philippine Association of Social Workers (PASW) was approved and registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) thus endowing it with a corporate legal personality. The small group of women, 7 in all, who had initiated the formation of the Association, now became the first officers and members of the Board. They were Josefa Jara Martinez, president; Mrs. Minerva G. Laudico, vice president; Mrs. Olympia U. Lozano, secretary; Mrs. Felicidad A. De Silva, treasurer; Miss Flora R. Palomar, Miss Agapita Murillo, and Mrs. Carmon Montinola Luz, board members.

Mrs. Olympia U. Lozano, secretary; Mrs. Felicidad A. De Silva, treasurer; Miss Flora R. Palomar, Miss Agapita Murillo, and Mrs. Carmon Montinola Luz, board members.

Mrs. Olympia U. Lozano, secretary; Mrs. Felicidad A. De Silva, treasurer; Miss Flora R. Palomar, Miss Agapita Murillo, and Mrs. Carmen Montinola Luz, board members.

Josefa Jara MartinezToday, only two of the 7 founders survive: Mrs. Minerva Guysayco Laudico, who has been twice appointed to Congress as sectoral representative and Mrs. Carmen Montinola Luz who is connected with the Makati Business Club.

The first members of PASW consisted of some practitioners and some social agency administrators and executives. They were united in their commitment to the objectives which they themselves formulated, namely: (1) to provide and maintain a professional standard of social work practice; (2) to provide means and opportunities for professional training and improvement of members; (3) to work for better public understanding and acceptance of social work as a profession; (4) to work for more sympathetic support of and effective action for social welfare.

NURTURING THE PASW SEEDLING (1948-1958)

From the start, the Association involved itself in a variety of activities: dialogues and workshops for professional growth, drafting of a statement of principles to guide social work training, publishing a news bulletin, study of job qualifications for Social Workers. It was during this period that the Code of Ethics for Social Workers was drafted and published in 1955, although it was only in 1964 that it was adopted.

PASW was also very much involved in community work. It had a hand in drafting a licensing law model for the public solicitation of funds in response to a request from the Community Chest. It assisted in the conduct of a UNESCO survey of welfare agencies in the country and it formed the nucleus of the Council of Welfare Agencies of the Philippines, Inc. (CWAPI) and participated in the International Conference on Social Welfare.

The growing sense of identity among its members was reinforced by the publication in 1956 of SOCIAL WORK, a quarterly magazine it could truly claim as its own. Edited by Rev. Fr. Thomas A. Mitchell, S.J., who was then chairperson of the Publications Committee, it started with 8 pages and quickly expanded to 24 pages through the fund raising efforts of kits editor, thus providing social workers with education materials written by authorities and leading practitioners. It maintained a paid subscription of 2,500.

In 1956, to, PASW held the First National Conference of Social Workers which was held regularly every 2 years up to 1986. These biennial conferences provided opportunities to discuss not only issues in Social Work but also emerging issues and social problems of the time. These were attended by Social Workers as well as by people working in the broader fields of social welfare.

At this time also, PASW collaborated with the CWAPI in evolving standard of social work practice; provided consultative services to interested welfare agencies, started a small scale screening and placement services for its members, operated a volunteer center, advocated with the WAPCO for upgrading of salaries of social worker positions and started discussions on the possible licensing of social workers. It also lobbied in Congress for the passage of Social Welfare Administration Reorganization Plan.

Hand in hand with all these activities, PASW maintained a consistent interest in Social Work education, realizing that the future of the profession depended on its future practitioners. Between 1956-1957, it drafted a curriculum for undergraduate social work education acceptable to schools and in 1958 began to study the graduate curriculum in existing schools of social work and in 1958 began to study the graduate curriculum in existing schools of social work, among them University of the Philippines, and Philippine School for Social Work. The first scholarship grant for graduate student in social work was accepted by PASW in 1958. These scholarship grants continued for several years reaching a record 5 grantees in 1975-76.

(to be continued)

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Keynote Address delivered by Atty. Ma. Dolores J. Nalumen, PASWI National Vice President, during the First Regional Assembly of PASWI in Western Visayas at Punta Villa, Iloilo City on October 15, 1998