CHAPTER 2

THE DEVELOPMENTAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE PHILIPPINES

THE PRE-HISTORIC PERIOD
Social Welfare work in those times centered on mutual protection and economic
survival.

THE SPANISH PERIOD

The Spaniards brought the teaching, to do good to others for the salvation of their
souls, and which for many years was the underlying philosophy behind all social welfare
activities.
1565 – Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi established the first hospital in Cebu for the
purpose of attending to the wounded and the victims of diseases.
1882 – Hospicio de San Jose was founded to house the aged and orphans, the
mentally defective and young boys requiring reform, but later limiting admission to children
who were discharged, later to be adopted or employed.
1885 – Asilo de San Vicente de Paul, an asylum for girls was established, offering
religious instruction, primary education, and training in housework in its inmates.
The hospitals, asylums, orphanages and schools were maintained using subsidies and
grants from the Spanish government. However, these were not sufficient and donations from
philanthropic individuals were also solicited.

THE AMERICAN PERIOD

1899 – Americans occupied the country and introduced a new educational system,
new health methods, and religious freedom.
1902 – The Civil government created an agency, the Insular Board, to coordinate and
supervise private institutions engaged in welfare work.
February 5, 1915 – The American government created the Public Welfare Board with
the passage of Legislative Act No. 2510, essentially to coordinate the welfare activities of
various existing charitable organizations.
January 1917 – The first government entity to operate as a welfare agency, and an
initial step in child welfare services, was set up.
1900 – Attempt was made to alleviate the condition of deaf children at the Philippine
Normal School.
1910 – A school for the deaf and blind was organized.
 1905 – The Philippine chapter of the American Red Cross was established to take
charge of disaster relief in the country and to administer Red Cross funds from the United
States.
1907 – La Gota de Leche was established to furnish child-caring institutions with
fresh cow’s milk from dairy farm in Pasay, Manila, supervised by a veterinarian. This agency
later opened free consultation clinic for mothers.
1913 – Associacion de Damas Filipinas was organized by civic-spirited women to
help destitute mothers and their children.
1921 – Office of the Public Welfare Commissioner was created. It absorbed the
functions of the Public Welfare Board which, while charged with coordinating and
intensifying the activities of child welfare organizations and agencies, was unable to cope
with the mounting problems in the health field, which was manifested by the high infant
mortality rate in the second decade of the century.
1922 – The Office of the Public Welfare Commissioner prepared solicitation forms
which it required the public to demand of any person appealing for donations and charities.
This was done to protect the public and organizations from unscrupulous persons collecting
funds. This practice, however, as not legally sanctioned until 1933.
1924 – The Associated Charities had become independent agency under the
supervision of the Public Welfare Commissioner, and was partly financed by the government,
and partly by private contributions.
– The Philippine Legislature passed a law (Philippine Legislative Act No. 3203)
relating to the care and custody of neglected and delinquent children and providing probation
officers for them.
1933 – The administration of social welfare in the Philippines was marked by
significant developments when Frank Murphy became the Governor-General. Scholarship
grants for professional training in social work in the United States were made available.
– The Legislature appropriated funds for the operations of government child and
maternal health centers which was established in every town with at least two thousand
populations.
The economic depression in the 1930s created serious economic problems. The
Associated Charities were unable to cope with the number of applicants for relief and other
social services, despite appropriations made by the Office of the Public Welfare
Commissioner, under its director, Dr. Jose Fabella.
Josefa Jara Martinez who obtained a diploma in Social Work in 1921, worked for the Public
Welfare Board where she started to introduce the scientific approach in social work.
The Murphy administration’s social welfare programs marked the first time the government
assumed full responsibility for the relief of the distressed due to any cause.
THE COMMONWEALTH PERIOD
1940 – The Office of the Commissioner of Health and Public Welfare was abolished
and replaced by a Department of Health and Public Assistance Service, which took over the
activities that used to be performed by the Associated Charities which, by then, had ceased to
exist.

THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION

Social Welfare activities during the period consisted mainly of giving medical care and
treatment, as well as food and clothing, to the wounded soldiers, prisoners and civilians.

THE POST-WAR YEARS

1946 – The Bureau of Public Welfare re-opened but lack of funds limited its
operations.
October 4, 1947 – The Bureau became the Social Welfare Commission and was
placed under the Office of the President.
August 1948 – President Quirino created the President’s Action Committee on Social
Amelioration. It is a comprehensive program of health, education, welfare, agriculture, public
works and financing.
1946 – The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was
created by the United Nations General Assembly to further maternal and child health in
economically underdeveloped country.
1948 – UNICEF became active in the Philippines, establishing basic health care
services to mothers and children, consisting of medical care, feeding programs and health
education.
January 3, 1951 – The Social Welfare Commission and the President’s Action
Committee on Social Amelioration were fused into one agency called the Social Welfare
Administration.

THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADMINISTRATION

Division of Public Assistance
 Assistance was given in the form of material aid like food, financial aid,
transportation aid, medical aid, institutional care and work relief.
 Service was rendered in the form of rehabilitation services and administration and
supervision of rehabilitation projects and workshops.
Child Welfare Division
 Casework and guidance services for children are under this unit.
Division on Rural Welfare
 This was created by Administrative Order No. 7, on September 5, 1951.
 It deals with the mounting social problems in the rural areas.
 “Self-Help” became the underlying philosophy for the rural community development
projects.
1965 – Republic Act 4373, “An Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the
Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines”
– The law requires completion of a Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree, one
thousand hours of supervised field practice, and the passing of a government board
examination in social work for licensing or registration as a social worker.
– It is the formal recognition of social work as a profession in the Philippines.
THE SEVENTIES

September 8, 1976 – The Department of Social Welfare became the Department of

Social Services and Development shifting emphasis on the traditional, often institution-based
social welfare to community-oriented programs and services.
June 2, 1978 – President Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1397, converting
departments into ministries thus the Ministry of Social Services and Development. The
organizational structure, functions and programs remains the same.
The sixties and seventies marked the existence of voluntary organizations and
establishment of even more agencies.

THE EIGHTIES

The Self-Employment Assistance was upgraded to make it more responsive to its

client’s needs. Case Management System was launched. Social Welfare Indicators monitor
the level of well-being of the MSSD service users.
January 30, 1987 – President Corazon C. Aquino signed Executive Order No.
123, reorganizing MSSD and renaming it Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The Department was evolving from mere welfare or relief agency to the greater task of
development. The approach taken by the agency during this period is described as preventive
and developmental, participative and client-managed.
THE NINETIES
The DSWD continued the five program areas of concern during the early nineties.It also gave
priority attention to Low Income Municipalities (LIMs) and other socially-depressed
barangays. The aftermath of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption was the use of Crisis Incident Stress
Debriefing (CISD), a form of crisis intervention used with victims of disasters and other
crisis situation.
October 10, 1991 – R.A. 7160 Local Government Code was passed. Implementing
functions together with its programs and services were devolved to its local government unit.
The Department, however, retained its specialized social services consisting of four
categories: (a) Center/institution-based services; (b) community-based programs and services;
(c) locally-funded and foreign-assisted projects; and (d) disaster relief and rehabilitation
augmentation.
Today, countless social agencies, organizations and institutions under private
sponsorship are engaged in the provision of many different social services. NGOs play a very
important role in supplementing the needs of the rising disadvantaged sectors in our society.
R.A. 4373 (the Social Work Law, 1967) provides that no social welfare agency shall
operate and be accredited unless it shall first have registered with the Social Welfare
Administration which shall issue the corresponding certificate of registration.
R.A. 5416 (1968) empowers the Department to (1) set standards and policies; (2)
accredit public and private institutions and organizations; and (3) coordinate government
efforts in social welfare work to avoid duplication, friction and overlapping of responsibility
in social services.
OTHER SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
 
 The DSWD, one of the "social sectors" in the national plan continues to assume this
responsibility, focusing on the 30% of the population especially in depressed areas of the
country.
 
Selected Social Legislation

A. Children

P.D 603 (June 10, 1975).

     "The child and youth welfare code"
 
The Code defines "child" and "youth" and their rights and entitlements including services that
should be provided for their wholesome development
 
R.A. 6972 (Sept. 14, 1990)
       "Barangay-Level Total Development and Protection of Children Act."
 
An Act establishing a Day Care Center in every barangay, instituting a Total Development
and Protection of Children Program
 
R.A. 7610 (Feb. 7, 1992)
        "Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination
Act."
 
An Act providing for stronger deterrence and special protection against child abuse,
exploitation and discrimination, providing penalties for its violation
 
R.A. 7658 (Nov. 9, 1993)
      An Act prohibiting the employment of children below 15 years of age in public and
private under takings
  
R.A. 9231 (Oct. 14, 2003 & Oct. 13,2003)
        An Act providing for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor and affording
stronger protection for the working child, amending for this purpose R.A. 7610, as amended,
otherwise known as the "Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation,
and Discrimination Act"
R.A 9255 (Jan. 21,2004& Feb. 04, 2004)
  An Act allowing illegitimate children to use the surname of their father, amending for the
purpose Art. 176 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the "Family Code of the
Philippines."
 

B. Women
 
R.A. 6525 (April 27, 1989)
An Act strengthening the prohibition on discrimination against women with respect to terms
and conditions of employment
 
R.A. 6955 (May 15, 1990)
     An Act to declare unlawful the practice of matching Filipino women for marriage to
foreign nationals on a mail-order basis and other similar practices, including the
advertisement, publication, printing or distribution of brochures, fliers and other propaganda
materials
R.A 7192 (Dec. 11, 1992)
        "Women in Nation-Building Act of 1992"
      
  An Act promoting the integration of women as full and equal partners of men in
development and nation building.
 
R.A. 7877 (Feb. 14, 1995)
        "Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995."
 
An Act declaring sexual harassment unlawful in the employment, education, or training
environment
 
 
R.A. 8353 (Sept. 3, 1997)
          " Anti- Rape Law of 1997"
 R.A. 9208 (May 12, 2003)
    "Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003."
 
An Act to institute policies to eliminate trafficking in persons especially women and children,
establishing the necessary institutional mechanisms for the protec tion and support of
trafficked persons, providing penalties for its violations, and for other purposes.
 
R.A. 9262 (Jan. 9,2004 &Feb. 2, 2004)
      "Anti-Violence Against Women Jan. 29, 2004 & and their  Children Act of 2004."
 
 An Act defining violence against women and their children, providing for protective
measures for victims, prescribing penalties therefore, and for other purposes
 

C. Older Persons/Persons with Disabilities

 
R.A. 344 (Feb. 25, 1983)
            "Accessibility Law".
 
An Act to enhance the mobility of disabled persons by requiring certain buildings,
institutions, establishments, and public utilities to install facilities and other devices.
R.A 7277 (Jan. 22, 1998)
       "Magna Carta of Disabled Persons"
 
An Act providing for the rehabilitation, self-development and self-reliance of disabled
persons and their integration into the mainstream of society
 
R.A. 7432 (Feb. 7, 1992)
        "Senior Citizens Act of 1992"
 
An Act maximize the contribution of senior citizens to nation-building, grant benefits and
special privileges, and for other purposes
 
R.A. 7876 (Jan. 31, 1995)
   An Act establishing a Senior Citizens Center in all cities and municipalities of the
Philippines.
R.A. 9257 (Dec. 16, 2003)
        "Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003"

D. Family
 
E.O.209 (Aug. 4, 1988)
          "Family Code of the Philippines"
 
The law revises provisions in the Civil Code of the Philippine pertaining to marriage and
family relations to bring them closer to Filipino customs, values and ideals and reflect
contempo rary trends and conditions.
 
R.A. 8187 (June 8, 1996)
 
An Act granting paternity leave of seven (7) days with full pay to all married male employees
in the private and public sectors for the first four (4) deliveries of the legitimate spouse with
whom he is cohabiting
 
R.A. 8369 (Oct. 28, 1997)
          "Family Courts Act of 1997."
 
An Act establishing family courts, granting them exclusive original jurisdiction over child
and family cases, amending Batas Pambansa Bilang 129 (JudiciaryReorganization Act of
1980)
 R.A. 8972 (Nov. 7, 2000)
           "Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000"
 
An Act providing for benefits and privileges to solo parents and their children
 
E. Health
 
R.A. 7875  (Feb. 7, 1995)
 
An Act instituting a National Health Insurance Program for all Filipinos and establishing the
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation for the purpose
 
R.A. 7883 (Feb. 20, 1995)
 
An Act granting benefits and incentives TO accredited barangay health workers
 
R.A. 924 (Oct. 14, 2003)
 
An Act amending R.A. 7875, (Oct. 15, 2003 & otherwise known as "An Act Instituting a
National Health Insurance Program for All Filipinos and Establishing the Philippine Health
Insurance Corporation for the Purpose"
 
F. Labor/Employment
 
P.D. 442 (Nov. 1, 1974)
          "Labor Code of the Philippines."
 An Act which revises and consolidates all previous labor and social laws based on the
principle of social justice
 
R.A. 7655 (June 4, 1993)
 An Act increasing the minimum wage of househelpers, amending Article 143 of Presidential
Decree No. 442, as amended
 
R.A. 8042 (June 5, 1995)
 An Act to institute the policies of overseas employment and establish a higher standard of
protection and promotion of the welfare of migrant workers and their families and overseas
filipino in distress.
 
 
R.A. 8291 (May 29, 1997)

An Act amending Presidential Decree No. 1146, as amended, expanding and increasing the
coverage and benefits of the Government Service Insurance System
 
G. Others
 
R.A. 7160 (Oct. 10, 1991)
The Local Government Code of 1991
 An Act that devolved implementing functions and programs of national agencies to local
governments, including social welfare services that used to be administered by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development
 
R.A. 8371 (Oct. 22, 1997)
      "Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997"
 An Act to recognize, protect and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities/
indigenous peoples, creating a National Commission on Indigenous People.
 
R.A. 8425 (Dec. 9, 1997)
   "Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act of 1997"
 An Act institutionalizing the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Program, creating for
the purpose the National Anti-Poverty Commission and defining functions its powers and
 
Some Government Agencies/Organizations*
 
A. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
 
The OWWA is an agency attached to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). It
began operations in 1982 with a two-fold mandate: (1) to provide welfare assistance to
registered overseas workers and their dependents, and (2) ensure the viability of the Overseas
Workers Welfare Fund.
 
 
B. The National Housing Authority
 
Created under Presidential Decree No. 757 in 1975, this agency's mandate is to develop and
implement a com prehensive and integrated housing program in the country. Its efforts are
focused on providing housing assistance to the lowest 30% of the urban population.

 
C. Public Attorney's Office
 
This office is under the Department of Justice and used to be known as the Citizen's Legal
Assistance Office (CLAO). It represents, free of charge, indigent persons or the immediate
members of their families, in all civil, administrative, and criminal cases where, after due
investigation, the interest of justice will be served.