FIRST DISTRICT, Pampanga – Congressman Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. is pushing for local universities and colleges (LUCs) to establish or expand Bachelor of Science in Social Work programs in their respective institutions, subject to compliance policies, standards, and guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), through House Bill No. 10006.
Where immediate offering is not feasible, the LUC shall, in coordination with CHED, ensure access to a BS Social Work program through consortium, twinning, resource-sharing or similar arrangements with a CHED-recognized higher education institution.
Likewise, H.B. 10006 directs LUCs to adopt the provisions of R.A. 10931, otherwise known as the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act,” in the screening and granting of free tuition and other school fees for students under the BS Social Work program.
“Sa panahon ng krisis, isa sa unang rumeresponde ay ang ating mga social workers. Kahit noong mayor tayo, sila ang parati nating kasamang pumunta sa mga barangay, sa mga evacuation centers, at bumibisita sa mga vulnerable communities,” Lazatin said.
“Nasaksihan ko rin na talagang kulang ang bilang ng mga registered social workers dahil sa napakarami ng hawak ng kaso ng bawat isa sa kanila,” he added.
Currently, the standard worker-beneficiary ratio for individual casework in the country involving children are 1:25 children for placement; 1:20 children in need of special protection; 1:15 children in conflict with the law (CICL); and 1:60 children for independent living, education purposes, temporary residential care.
A 2009 study conducted by Hide Yamatani, Rafael Engel, and Solveig Spjeldnes found that the reasonable amount of child welfare cases per social worker is 16 to 17 per month. The study showed that a disproportionate number of cases per social worker negatively affected service quality and worker effectiveness.
Meanwhile, the standard worker-beneficiary ratio for individual casework in the country in other sectors are 1:25 disadvantaged women / internally displaced persons (IDPs); 1:15 women with dependents; 1:25 senior citizens; and 1:15 persons with disabilities (PWDs).
“There is a pressing need for more registered social workers in the country because they are overloaded at the current ratio of registered social workers and cases, especially in cases involving children,” Lazatin said.
“Social workers are the government’s partners in implementing social services efficiently, and it is high-time that we invest in providing free education to individuals who are willing to take on this duty,” he added. #