Two erring employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) were meted with the appropriate disciplinary action by Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo while five more were given warning for their conduct of unbecoming of a public servant.
One employee previously assigned at the NAIA was removed from post and given a warning for the worker’s action towards a newly arrived mother and minor from abroad.
Secretary Tulfo said that instead of assisting them to make them comfortable from their travel abroad, the action of the said employee towards the mother and child was not in accordance with the health and standards under the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) for arriving minors.
Meanwhile, another staff assigned in the satellite office in Tagbilaran City, Bohol was also relieved from post following a complaint for rudely talking to a client. The staff was also reprimanded, duly warned and made to undergo a re-training for proper treatment of clients.
The said staff already apologized to the client who was only asking how to be a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiary.
Five other employees assigned at the hotline center of the Department were also reprimanded and duly warned for not responding to the calls made using the DSWD’s hotline numbers.
“Reprimand at warning sa limang kasama natin sa hotline operations dahil hindi po kasi nila sinasagot ang mga tawag sa hotlines. Ano pa pong silbi ng mga hotlines kung wala namang sasagot (Five employees assigned in our hotline operations were reprimanded and warned for not answering calls. What is the use of hotline numbers if no one will answer the calls?).
The Secretary reiterated his initial assurance to employees that no one will be left behind as long as he is the head of the DSWD. However, he reminded them of their duty to provide an excellent public service to the poor, vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged sectors in society.
Moreover, the Secretary directed all employees to treat clients properly, saying, “sila po ang dahilan kaya may DSWD. Nasa sa inyo kung gusto ninyo pang tumulong o maglingkod sa mga mahihirap, matatanda, PWDs, IPs, nasalanta at mga palaboy o inabandonang mga bata” (they are the reason why DSWD exists. It is then up to you if you still want to continue helping or serving the poor, the elderly, the persons with disabilities, the Indigenous Peoples, the disaster victims, the street dwellers, and the abandoned children).
Secretary Tulfo stressed that those who no longer wish to serve the public may leave the Department freely. ###
