Heroism comes in varied forms. There are people who lay down their lives for their country and there are people who do not necessarily sacrifice their lives, yet are heroes in their own right, because they let others live better lives. To the latter belong a low profile breed of heroes, our social workers.

You see them distributing relief goods during disasters… assisting victims of armed conflict…  mediating a feuding couple… or simply providing a shoulder to cry on during difficult times.

"I have witnessed the social workers' response to urgencies in Metro Manila and the other areas affected by calamities as they address the needs of the victims, unmindful of their own safety," Social Welfare and Development Acting Secretary Celia Capadocia-Yangco proudly stated.

"I know that in the recent typhoons a number of our social workers were also victims of disaster themselves, but nonetheless they chose to assist in relief operations ahead of minding their own needs," Acting Secretary Yangco explained.

Marissa Paeste, a social worker from DSWD-Region V, lost all her belongings to typhoon Reming in 2006. This did not prevent her from answering the call of duty. She went about her task of assisting in evacuation centers and in relief operations with nary a complaint in spite of the fact that the only property she had at that point was the DSWD vest she was wearing.
Marissa shared that in the evenings, with only a candle for illumination, she would go to the nearest evacuation center to conduct stress debriefing sessions especially for those whose family members died or were missing.

Joel Pangilinan, head of the Disaster Response Unit of the DSWD-National Capital Region related that social workers help the needy without expecting anything in return. He said that oftentimes, social workers even help using their personal resources.

For Acting Secretary Yangco, the social workers are unheralded heroes of society saying that they make the lives of miserable Filipinos better by being there to provide them with their basic needs in times of emergency.

She added that these unsung heroes and heroines shy away from the limelight, preferring to stay in the background quietly performing their tasks. They work beyond the call of duty, risking their own safety and putting their families as second priority. 

"These social workers perform humanitarian work without fanfare, and   the nation has every reason to be proud of them and the role they play," Acting Secretary Yangco enthused.

Social workers have been called upon time and again to bring effective help and practical solutions to disadvantaged citizens, often during a national crisis but they also do the work expected of them from day to day.

During calamities or disasters, the task of the DSWD social workers is to supervise the management of evacuation centers. They also facilitate the systematic distribution of relief goods in coordination with the social workers of the Local Government Units (LGUs) and other counterparts. They also provide additional resources to local government units, both human and material when the need arises.

But even without emergencies, they continue to ease one's burden, simply by offering a helping hand or caring words to lighten a heavy heart.  #