GOVERNMENT social workers are overburdened and underpaid, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said as he proposed an increase in their present compensation.
Ironic as it may seem, Estrada said those passionately working hard to alleviate poverty and provide care and comfort to those in need are the ones stricken with poverty, are overworked, and less appreciated.
“It is for this reason that we wanted to extend care, assistance, and appreciation to the Filipino social workers including those whose services are engaged through job orders or contracts of services by mandating the increase of their salary in accordance with the existing law on the salary scale of government employees,” Estrada said in filing Senate Bill No. 1922.
The proposed measure shall cover all registered social workers in government service, including those whose services are engaged through job orders or contracts of service.
In seeking to amend Section 12 of Republic Act No. 9433 or the Magna Carta for Public Social Workers, the veteran legislator proposed the stipulation of Salary Grade 13, with equivalent monthly salary as prescribed in the existing applicable modified salary schedule for civilian employees, as entry-level pay of a Junior Officer Public Social Worker.
The said public social worker must at least have a bachelor’s degree in social work, and registration or license as a social worker or holds a position that concerns community affairs and development, disaster risk and management, gender and development, labor and employment, early childhood and development, volunteer service, youth development and assistance to veterans.
“With the rising inflation and with more families needing social welfare and protection services and development interventions, we have to take care of our public social workers who are tirelessly fulfilling their gargantuan and valuable role in our society,” the senator explained.
“They are the backbone in the delivery of social welfare, protection, and development mandate. They are also in the front line of the promotion of the interests of the most vulnerable sectors in Filipino demographics – our children, juveniles, women, elderlies and seniors, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and our urban poor,” Estrada added.
Mas mataas na salary scale para sa mga social worker ng gobyerno, itinutulak ni Jinggoy
KULANG ang sahod at sobra-sobra ang trabaho ng mga social workers ng gobyerno kaya nais ni Senador Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada na taasan ang kanilang kasalukuyang buwanang sahod.
Habang pinagsusumikapan ng mga social workers na matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga mahihirap at ng mga may sakit na nanghihingi ng ayuda, sinabi ni Estrada na sila man ay dumaranas rin ng kahirapan na kadalasan ay hindi nila pinagtutuunan ng pansin.
“Ito ang dahilan kung bakit nais natin na matulungan rin sila at bigyan ng pagpapahalaga ang ating mga social worker, kabilang ang mga may serbisyo sa ilalim ng job order o contract of service, sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabatas ng mas mataas na pasahod alinsunod sa umiiral na salary scale para sa mga kawani ng gobyerno,” sabi ni Estrada sa kanyang paghahain ng Senate Bill No. 1922.
Sa nasabing panukala, saklaw nito ang lahat ng rehistradong social workers na naninilbihan sa gobyerno kabilang ang mga nasa ilalim ng ng mga job order o contracts of service.
Iminungkahi ng beteranong mambabatas na amyendahan ang Section 12 ng Republic Act No. 9433 o ang Magna Carta for Public Social Workers para itakda ang Salary Grade 13 na may katumbas na buwanang suweldo sa umiiral na modified salary schedule for civilian employees, bilang entry-level na pasahod sa isang Junior Officer Public Social Worker.
Aniya, ang mga social workers ng gobyerno ay dapat mayroong bachelor’s degree in social work, rehistrado o lisensiyado bilang social worker, o may hawak na posisyon na may kinalaman sa community affairs and development, disaster risk and management, gender and development, labor and employment, early childhood and development, volunteer service, youth development and assistance to veterans.
“Dahil tumataas ang inflation at mas maraming pamilya ang nangangailangan ng social welfare, protection services at development interventions, kailangan nating pangalagaan ang ating mga social workers na walang sawang tumutupad sa kanilang mabigat at mahalagang papel sa ating lipunan,” paliwanag ng senador.
“Sila ang mga katuwang para maisakatuparan ang mandato sa pagbibigay ng social welfare, protection, and development mandate. Sila rin ang nasa front line sa promosyon ng interes ng mga pinakamahinang sector sa lipunan – ang ating mga anak, kabataan, kababaihan, matatanda, mga taong may kapansanan, mga katutubo at mga maralita sa lungsod,” dagdag ni Estrada.