Social Welfare

FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE

Allow me to share what I consider as a wonderful experience.

Yesterday was one of the happiest days in my life because I was able to provide some assistance to persons in need. It was the day when I handed over the financial assistance that DSWD released to my care.

Thanks to DSWD, I was instrumental to provide some medical assistance to my wife’s distant relative who just gave birth to her second baby. It was unfortunate that during the same time, this woman’s 3 year old daughter was also confined to a hospital due to a ruptured appendicitis.

Because of her delicate condition, she could not go directly to the DSWD office to ask for financial assistance. Her husband, an OFW skilled worker, earning just a meager salary, was out of the country at the moment and her immediate relatives are all in the province. So I volunteered to represent her to get her some medical assistance from DSWD.

It was my first time to prepare all the required documents, to be interviewed at the Protective Services Bureau (PSB), and by a Social Worker at the Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), and fall in line among other people in need.

But that few minutes that I had to sacrifice was nothing compared to the joy that I felt when I handed over the money to the woman.

This is one of the reasons why I decided to join DSWD. Not only to share my technical skills and knowledge, but also to provide assistance to people in need. Even the officials at our barangay are already coursing through me their inquiries related to the services of DSWD. I hope I would also have several other opportunities to help our countrymen.

I would like to thank DSWD for the quick release of the financial assistance, especially the people at PSB and CIU.

I also hope the management of DSWD will also allow us to contribute our time and effort, outside our field of expertise, to directly help out the people in need especially during times of crisis.

Thank you.

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During the flag ceremony this Monday morning, one of the Undersecretaries revealed that there was a write-up about the ineffectiveness of the Crisis Intervention Unit. She didn't revealed the details but she was positive it put the Department in a bad light.

I hope there is no truth in the bad story, and that it was a very rare occurrence of bad service.

I am personal witness of how dedicated my colleagues are..... whatever the issue, I am sure it was unintentional.

But it is a good eye-opener and reminder for us to work double the time and effort, and continuously steadfast in our public service to avoid another complaint from the people.