An Assessment: Beyond Poverty Situation

A lot of points were raised about why we are still on the borderline of poverty. It was infamously known as the intergenerational cycle of poverty encrypted with the system of our nation. But what lies behind these over aching scenarios at the grassroots level of the communities that adversely impact the status of the country.                  With the insurgence of misinformation and disinformation, the issue of poverty continuously belies the marginalized sectors who are perceived to be the primary problem. It is supported by the claims that they are the recipients of social protection and development intervention given by the government. It means that the focus to alleviate the poverty situation is invested in people.  If you have the understanding and cognizance of the social structures, processes, and dynamics, these multiple crises are the results of a neoliberalism mentality.                These predicaments on unemployment, crimes, oppression, inequalities, and the like are the consequences of the decisions made specifically in choosing leaders. Primarily, the majority of the people will continuously suffer because of the unjust policies and transactions favorable to wealthy and powerful leaders in the national and international arena. Even the growth of the annual GDP cannot be a basis of real progress on the ground. Therefore, notably, political leaders have the immense power and direct influence to shape the future of a nation especially if the interest is vested in the human capital, human dignity, and the well-being of the public, not in their greedy intentions.               The unmet needs of the people such as no access to basic services and programs in education, health, etc., contributes to the persistence of poverty. It undermines the gratification of having the fundamental right in achieving a quality of life that is duly impartial and anchored on the basic needs of a human being. Poverty is not just an economic or monetary phenomenon hence it comprises the entirety of the system where individuals evolve.              The boosting population escalated the need to have a secure base on social protection support from the government that includes the availability of infrastructures and resources in communities. It should not be contained to a mere legal paper but the execution and alignment of intervention must be coherently projected to the needs of the people to provide opportunities.               In order to eclectically put an end to poverty, various key actors should deliberately assess the contemporary status quo of the society. Massive actions entail collective efforts and harmonization of ideas as well as principles to address the concern of uprooting this deep-seated obstacle towards progress. It involves the participation of the community people especially in decision-making and prioritizing their needs. The more involvement has been given to the people in the process of problem-solving the more that they would engage to protect their resources, output, rights, and their ability to become the change that they wanted to see in the world.             Ideally, it would be easier to be said than done, but the work is to encourage more workers to partake in this mission.

Gender Lens

          As community development workers our role in educating the people at the grassroots level and to our partners are integral. Oftentimes gender and sex are mishaps because of the lack of understanding about the concept of the two terms and the culture and norms that we have which continually shaped the minds and perception of the people on how to act based on gender and sex.

             Gender-related issues have immensely surfaced even before and now that the concern about equal rights and opportunity to every gender. It is also our time to partake our share in raising advocates and generate activities relevant to the education of the people about gender sensitivity, gender-based violence, and gender responsiveness management.

            Our words have a profound impact on our society, let us never forget that we carry the responsibility to provide an avenue for inclusive growth and participation, especially among women. We have to empower them and transform them by letting them be part of programs and decision-making made at the barangay level. The mere participation of women will gradually illuminate optimistic outcome and their voices will be heard that would aid to achieve their unmet needs.

The 'Helping Process'

The 'Helping Profession'

What made you decide to pursue a career in Social Welfare? Recently, along with the celebration of International Social Work Month this March 2022, one of the Facebook pages, the “Kwelang Social Worker” posted that question as to why you took Social Work as your course.  What could be the most common term used answered by the respondents, is the word “help”. Even when you were a kid you also wanted to grow as a professional teacher or a doctor to help others.  Helping is innate to everyone, an act that is universal and humane to all of us. But what makes it different from Social Workers?

In this epoch, Social Work as a profession is gradually known especially in communities that have faced various catastrophes that are increasing with its frequencies especially these most trying times of the pandemic. Social Work is playing an integral role in providing an eclectic approach and intervention to address the concerns of individuals in crises, groups, and communities.

Going back to the question, everyone can indeed help but as to the Social Work profession, the process is scientific and the approaches and mechanisms are highly assessed to tailor-fit to the pressing needs or the ‘here and now' situation of a client, group, and a community which makes it as a helping-profession.

With the recognition strengthened legally by the Republic Act 4373- An Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines and for Other Purposes, has ensured that all Social Workers should take a four-year degree course and should pass a board exam to practice the profession.

As Social Workers, what lies in our hands to make it known, or is this integral to persistently make our profession identified by the people, especially the young generations? The ultimate answer is Yes, we have to let our profession be known, we need more people to help us do the work accordingly towards social development and transformation. The emerging crimes and risks against vulnerable sectors are increasing and along with these inevitable circumstances, we have to establish our profession and encourage more to become part of our fast-growing family to serve as sentinels against abuse, exploitation and let us work together to lift them from the cellar of poverty by being empowered, changed and advocate.

Instrospection

Amidst this pandemic, self-awareness is imperative to our role as vanguards of the protection and welfare of the community and its people. Knowing ourselves is integral to our decisions, actions and results that are inter-related.

The following are the Linehan’s 14 Values and Priorities which I perceived to be most important to me as of today:

BE SPIRITUAL PERSON, working with a depressed community and sexually abused and exploited children would entail so much maturity, patience, wisdom and understanding.  It would sound so easy and straightforward from the others that this is just a “problem-solving scheme”, but in reality you need to have a secure-base connection and faith to God that you can carry the advocacy that He has entrusted to you.

I witnessed firsthand the realities in the community, where abused and neglected children experience the pangs of an empty stomach because of poverty that is escalated by the Covid-19 situation. The task in the helping process is too large and requires collaboration from various sectors to lift these people from the cellar of this awful scenario where social justice is no longer served.

Before, I was too selfish that I only pray for myself but now I understood why we pray for the nation, the people around us and the world that needs so much people to influence and shape the minds of others about the importance of being an instrument of hope and faith.

I always believe that all of the accomplishments which we made were part of God’s unseen miracles. I know He is there for me and for the team I handle during those times that I feel alone and lonely since I live away from my family because of this calling that I pursue.  I found my purpose after having a real relationship with God. I learned so much in my journey that God has become the center of the things I do.

I always praise Him and glorify His name especially that I play a huge role in my office and in the community that I am indeed entailed to BE POWERFUL AND ABLE TO INFLUENCE OTHERS.

As the breadwinner of my family after the untimely demise of my father when I was Four years old the only way to survive is to become pro-active or some would say competitive in almost all aspects of my life. I started as a student leader until I became a community leader that honed my ability to speak and to influence others through collaboration and inclusiveness. I consider myself as a developmental and transformational leader that is highly relevant to my profession as a Social Worker.

I was the National Project Coordinator before of the End-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children in the country and now the President of Kiwanis International Bicol, where the main thrust and priorities of my previous and recent organization is for the protection and welfare of children against risks.

With these positions given to me, I was able to use my passion and purpose to target the major strategies which needed to be done in order to achieve the goal. With the help of my team, we were able to enhance the policies protecting the children, rescued children and reached massive number of learners and sectors with the help of “Convergence Approached”. We maximized the existing organizations and groups for our advocacy and resource mobilization activities. These led me to receive numerous awards such as Top 20 National Youth Heroes Awards, Most  Outstanding Children’s Rights Advocate awarded by Asia-Pacific Luminare Awards and represented Philippines in the recently concluded Outstanding Young Leaders of Asia of the Asia Youth Council.

These awards are nothing without the support of the people which I believe I have influenced in the process of carrying the advocacy for the Children of our nation. I know that through transformational and developmental way of leadership, I was replicated and my deeds were acquired that leads to CONTRIBUTE TO THE LARGE COMMUNITY.

The value of individuality is important to bear the unique strengths that makes a lasting change and sustainable impact to the others. I always wanted to be known not because of my deeds and awards but because the knowledge I have shared that the people I worked with and have met me would definitely say the life’s lesson I have shared that changed their views in life.

As the President of Kiwanis International catering the needs of the children, we must never cease to our actions hence we must bear fruit of our labor. We never influence a community just by speaking but we can influence them by empowering them through engaging them to become the workforce for this advocacy.