MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Department of Health on March 21 lauded the celebration of ”World Social Work Day,” as it highlights the important role of social workers in the main health agenda of the Filipinos. Every social worker is being tasked to promote health and healthcare delivery in a manner that respects, values and empowers clients and patients within the DOH mandates.
More than 300 participants gathered in this event composed mainly of social workers from different specialty fields of social work in NCR.
The DOH has been holding this event annually since 2013, this year it adapts the international theme, “Promoting Community and Environmental Sustainability.” Such premise is especially relevant among Medical Social Workers as they endeavor to implement “Person Centered Hospital” and Psycho Social Rehabilitation approach of the Philippine Health Agenda.
The International Association of Schools for Social Work (IASSW) and International Federation of Social Work (IFSW) hold a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), respectively since 1947 and 1959. Both organizations have celebrated WSWD at the UN in New York since 1983 and in Geneva since 2012.
WSWD at the UN has been celebrated sporadically in Vienna, Nairobi, and Santiago de Chile. This year it will be celebrated for the first time at the UN in Bangkok.
This event is undertaken at the UN to achieve several goals: 1) to strengthen existing or to establish new contacts, cooperation and partnership with UN organizations and with allied international NGOs; 2) spread knowledge about social work, its values, principles and methods in practice and theory among UN-organizations and allied international NGOs; 3) highlight social work actions, policies and achievements in the pursuit of common goals; and 4) disseminate the knowledge about UN activities, goals, program and campaigns among social workers and social work organizations and schools.
Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial articulated, “The contributions of our strongly dedicated social workers are certainly undisputed. As partners, they played an important role in securing the health and welfare of poor Filipinos especially now that the DOH can cover the hospitalization expenses of the poor, jobless and elderly seeking medical assistance.”
The two-day event, culminating on March 21, is also being held in partnership with the Philippine Association of Social Workers Inc.-NCR chapter.