Our social welfare program

Title

Creator

Perez, Asuncion

Language

English

Year

1951

Subject

Social work education

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

[This article narrates how the social welfare in the Philippines was established and the primary contribution of social work education for its progress.]

Fulltext

JULY, 1951 THE MANILA GUARDIAN PAGE 7 OUR SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAM By ASUNCION A. PEREZ s~~:~ ::~~:::n~ i:h::~~I~:~:;:; br~: ~:t~· 8, 1941, the Pacific War charity work as early as the 16t~' The war years temporarily set back century when the Spaniards came the government's program (or public and established churches and con: )Velfare but after liberatiqn the tre~d vents. These chu;ches and convents' in social welfare has been for the drew financial .support from pious in- state to assume more and more the dividuals who were encouraged tO burden for ' a long-range welfare give for the unfortunate as a reli-' program by creating the social wel~us duty. Organized social work in: fare co~ission (1947) ~o replace this country was Pstablished only with the former bureau of pubhc welfare, the inception of the American re- the war relief office ( 1946) for the gime at the turn of the century. relief and rehabilitation of indigent At thilt time ~any private welfare war victims, and the President's Ac: agencies were established, among tion ~orrunittee on Social Ameliora~he American Red Cross chapter tion (P.A.C.S.A., 1948) to ame(1905), the Gota de Leche (1907~," liorate the living conditions of the Boy Scouts of America (1910), the people living in the rural areas, parPhilippine Anti-Tuberculosis Society ticularly the tenants and landleu (1910), Young Men's Christian As· farmers. On January 3, 1951 ,all sociation (1911) and the Asociacion th:se agencies were integrated into de Damas Fiipinas (1915), but it what is now known as the social welwas the churcl\ and private indivi- fare administration. duals whO continued to give material Geared to public welfare is the assistance to the needy. expansion of activities from the ur... In 1917, the Associated Charities ban to the rural. During the la.st \if Manila was established under the five years, the nalional social welfare "leader.ship of American residents in policy has been to develop social the city and for the first time an or- welfare services i!l rural areas, done through establi,shment of branch of- sary part of enriched living. The fices in almost all provinces in the . emphasis has been on social welfare Philippines and the launching of a activities of prevei;itive nature. comprehensive rural welfare program To complete the picture of conin connection with land settlements. temporary social work in the country, Previously, public welfare seemed to mention here is made of the organihave focused its assistance program zation in 1949 of the Community on the individual. Tod~y, such ac- Chest and of the Council of Weltivity is viewed from the comrnunity fare Agencies. an&,Ie and more and more emphasis In both government and private is toward total improvement of com- social welfare activities, a wider munity living. scope is given to cit"izen participaWhile the tendency of the gov- tion. The use' of voluntary services ernment is to meet the physical needs in public welfare is now more and of the individual, voluntary social mOre 'accepted and community organiwelfare agencies like the Philippine zation as a method in public admiNational Red Cross, Girl and Bo}' nistration is becoming more 'and Scou.ts of t~e Philippines, the Young more popular. A concre.te step in Men and Women's ChriStian Asso- this regard was taken in " 1949 with ciations, the National Federation of the organization of the Community the Catholic Women's League and Chest of Greater Ma,ni!B. and the other private institutions and civic Council of Welfare Ag~focies, organization.s tend to conce~~rate Today we are keenly aware of the their efforts on meeting the spmtual need to develop new community reand mental needs of the peopl.e. Spe- .sources to me~t the people's increased cial efforts are made to provide. t.he social needs. Social workers thereless fortunate with social amenities fore do not only participate but ac· of life such as sociat and recrea- tually assume leaderShip in commutfonal activities which are a neces- nity social planning and social acganized attempt was made to 1rlilly •~'"<+x:x+::;2i::+::c~::+::;c~::+::o::+::<J!::+::~o~::+x.:;:~::C;tX+X::.:::+x::.~::+::~D~::+~<:!~::+::•c·~::+::~~i!::+~ tion in order to attain a social structhe whole community behind a pro~ ~j ture within which such ~ocial needs gram of assistance to the needy. j c z· t f ~ 6hall be remedied ,reduced or elimiIn th~ m~antirile, the ~overnment ~ omp imen s 0 - ~~ nated. created 10 191;5 a · pu.bhc welfare ~ ~ The social welfare program in..the board to study, supervise and coor. i~ ~ Philippines, just as it is in any other dinate the efforts of all government Pl r~ country, is depend~nt in its progress agencies and private organizations in· 1 M . A N u E L u y ~ on social legislation which forms the ' terested in soci~l welfare. :he o~ly ~ . _ ~:~. !~gal basi.' ohsuch serv~ces. In this .government enaty engaged m soc1al M field, as m any other field of social welfare work then (1917) was the {"~ fa welfare, the . Philippines 'has made government orphanage ·which is ~ THE ST AR AND lUCKY AGENT NO. 1 ~ strides which are defenitely progres.known as the Welfarevile institu- ·Q ~.'l liive. ~' no".' .a pa~ of "'the social wel- - ~ Social measures providing for th:' -Je admm1strat1on. . . ~ 51 esta~lis~ment .and maint.enance of / The government granted subs1d1es i!l! . i The only agent who sold 28 First Prizes r,~ pro~1nc1a1. 1~osp1ta1s tor chtldren, maear1y as 1922 to the Associated ~ termty clinics, the purchase and ap~ of the Philippines for as- t ~·j portionment of the estates- to the pu' . ..d ee purposes and between t934 - In the History of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes S blic, the payment or backpay to govand 1938 was established a national iA r~~ emment officials and employes, the unemployment co~mis~ion whic~, in - A d the onl A ent who sold three (3) Consecutive I ~LI. Bill of_ Rights, an~ the reope.n· 1940, was reorganized mto a national I n Y g i mg of pubhc schools m rural d1s:;cu::zct:~m::!::i;ti::w::: :hne as:~:~ ~1 f I R $ T p RI l ES ~ ~il~::ti~:vean~n::~:~:~:u:~o::fre;:~ tion of unemployment. ~ ~~ damage in the Philipi;iines. The government assumed for the ~. ~ Th'e Philippine government, to imfirst time its responsibility for public {~ ~ plement these laws, has also approvwelfare when it formally took over ~ A WINNER NEVER QUITS A QUITTER NEVER WINS ~ -·~} ed corresponding appropriation of the Associated Charities of' Manila I. ~ funds and created offices and ap· ~ May 3,1, 1941 to form the nuci·~ ~ pointed commissions on committees _.,~efu~~:r b::a~u::i~u:s1~~st::~;a;::r~~= ~ ~ ~~r 5:~~ :::::~:is~n :;::::;r~i:;:~ l state had at 18.st recognized its obli· ~ 13 Plaza Sta.1 Cruz, Manila . 13· P. 0. Box ~ appropriatioil of funds- might be, it ' gation to provide ,the individual with g . ~ still is a man.ifesteition of an acceptthe minimum basic need1. ~ P•:x+::.<.Y....+}~~.::it+::c•.::+::~:~::+;o.::+::~:K+X~:+l.C~::+XX+::~~XC~~::~Y!+lt::WA:~~}t~ (Continued on pate 12) PAGE 12 THE MANILA GUA~DIAN JULY, 1951 ~;<+:c<•~~::+x~::+;,;;:;~.:.(>~::,.r+xx+xx+~S<+>~+L::x+:rl:::~x+x:~~xxc~ OUR SOCIAL WELFARE P-ROGRAM <c0 n1i:ntied 1rom pate ?> ~ ' T , V w o N . G ~~ anc: on the ~a:~ of th~ government buted much to the p;ogress of social ~ • - I • ~ ~f its respons1b1\ity to its people. walfare in the Philippines, the counN ~ Considcr.ed one_ of the many pro- try has also contributed to interna~ MANAGER ~·~ gressive social legislations during the tional social work by lending one of n ~ last five years are amendments intro- its more distinguished social workers ~ of ~ duced in the civil code of the Phil- to .serve as . a 'consultant on child }1 VISAYAN SURETY & INSURANCE CORPORATION ~ ippines which guaranty the better- welfare in the Far Eastern region ~ ~·i ment of women's rights , in gener?-1 and through participation of social >~ AND ~ and tl 1 10se pertaining to women and workers jn conferences, institutes and ~ ~1 children in particular. By the civil seminars along similar lines al;iroad. ii GOOD DAY TRAQING CORPORATION ~ code, the legal rights of women have To date .there are about 13 gra~ ~ b.een extend.ed and ·8mplified and the ~;a~:0;::~7~n:io:~:~~eswi~o s::i~I t:::~ ~ 6th Floor, Trade ·& Commerce Bldg. P.O. Box 1154 ~i rights of children have been properly }._~ l . ' protect.ed. . abroad. Only last June 3, the Phil. ~ Tel. 2-89-97 123. Juan una, ~anila ~) To improve the standards of !ix- ippine Women's University confem~ ~<~:+>:>!+XX+>:x+:o:~>:x+:~-''l-!C.~~>.X+Y.X+X:<:+:n:+:;~;o:+:u:+;<)~ ::~i:,m,:~~,,:~:~:b~~:".::·::~i;::: :~:,,~:i~;::,i:n mo•~•·;, 0 :0 "::', i::;:!::~ ~ - !·~ wage law, the creation of the place- who had sus:cessfully completed the ~ Compliments of,....... ~~ment anCI industrial safety burea~s. firs~ year of the graduate course in ~ ~ ansl the establishment of the coi.irt social work. This edµcational insti~~ }j of industrial relations are outstanding. tction and the C~mtro Escolar Uni .. ~ ~ Proposed social legislations include varsity expect to turn out the first ~§ Vl'.E'NN .. A BA. KER. Y ~ 11n act providing for the retirement local graduates io professional social ~ >~ of o!'ficial!s and employes of the Phil. work. ;:; ~ -ippine government,' and act providing The Ateneo d~ Manila, the Santa ~ {1 insurance for and public assistance Theresa:S .College and the University ~~~ (SINCE 1905) $. to the needy, an aCt to establish a of the Philippiues are offering gra~ \~ section for the welfare of the deaf duate as well as undergraduate ~1 322 Echogue, Manila M and blin,d and an act to create a boJ courses on social work. It is earnest~ ~~ dy to {iandle juvenile and domestic ly .hoped that thi~ inl.petus given ~ ~ relationships. social work education shall greatly ;:~ , ~ With J the broadening of welfare help in the further progress of sociay" ~ Telephone - 3-86-33 ~~ !~e~ds~ s;cia.l w~rk is no~. re~ognized welfare work in the ~i.lippines. ~~!C~+x:~!+xXCK~:+>C~+X>!+X::.<e<..-..::KXC:O..«rC:<XC:<.. ~+!f:;.. ~'C.~X;~+~~ cal :o~a~s~:;r~n :~:c~~i~:pi1;e;~ ~~~ ----OQO-~ ~ infancy. But as far back as the pe· t·j >1 riod imm~diately before the war, disCrusade For Freedom ~ Compliments. of - ~ tinguuh•d weir.,. '••den in the g ~ country had tried vainly to secure ~ ~ :::~:in~:;ke~:. thlet ;:;: ~:rl~a~:~ ~ ~:: II a nd the gr~at changes it wrought ~ ~ to make the people realize the im· !·~ THE RELIANCE BROKE-RAG.E, 'INC. i:i po<tance of o<gani"d •Oda! wolfm ~ ~ and the need for professionally tr3in· ~ Rm - 204 Tiong Bldg., 328 Dasmarinas, Manila •) ed workers to render efficient ser· ~ . ~ vice to the public. ~ Tels.: 3-88-66 • 3-88-67- • 3-87-21 - local 34 ~ Formal t~aining for social workers W. ? ; started dunng hte Japanese occupa(~ M ti'6n in 1942 when th~ bureau of M • tj public welfare conducted a series of i::~Y.:+X:i!:+!?.:~::+XJ!::+XX ... AX"+!{;.XC:CK:<..~Xh. .. ~(C:C~+!.{~!C~:+!U::+Xl~ in-service training courses for new g ~& workers in ofder to meet the unprei Complime~ts of,....... ~ cedented demand for .socia1 workers. f~ ~ These training courses proved to be ~ ~ the beginning of a keen understandti ~ ing of 8ocial welfare work on the ~ DEE C -CHUAN & SONS INC -r~ part of the people. ~ . - ' I • ~ In 1946, 1947 and 1948, mo" in· a . . . - ~t stitutes on social work and social ~ ~ case work were conducted by the ~; J. U. N. consultpnts on social affairs. NEW YORK-A campaign is underway to inaugurate independent broadcasts to the Far East under sponsorship of the recently organized· 1 National Committee Fo·r A Free Asia.1.'. Objectives of such a program will parallel those of Radio Free Europe, which are to combat communist propaganda, expose quislings and infor, mer.s behind the iron curtain, under'\~ mine Red puppet regimes and en-- - courage prisoner peoples in their hopes for ultimate liberation from slaver,Y. • "" The Crusade for Freedom is pla'n~ ning a campaig nto help finance Radio Free Europe and the comparable operation for the Far East, the Far East project will be directed by the National Committee For A Free Asia. The Crusade for Freedom proposes to enroll 25 million Americans and raise $3,500,000 in voluntary contributions for the projects. S - o O o - - - {~ At the same time the U .N. financed i·~ ~ the sending , abroad of distinguished Chairman for the Crusade for Fr&... ~ ~;~ social workers on a six·month fello~- dom is Gen. Luciu.s D. Clay, wh• '1 ~ ship each to study and observe the formed it last fall when a campaign ~·~ 16 Soler St. _ . Manila ~~ latest trends in social welfare work. was climaxed with the dedication of ' ~ . ~· While these institutes, seminars, con- the world freedom bell in Berlin on *"C!GWO::+:::J.::+:::C{+..~ 4:+!:L ~':"' ,_;;~~~::>:+}'.O<+.Z;~:: .. 'O.:+! <. ~+:::::.~~X2::~~:::;.~ ferences and fellowships have contri- Unit~ Nations Day, October 2~.

pages

7, 12

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