Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian engages social workers from various associations and organizations in a dialogue on Thursday (June 6).

Secretary Gatchalian thanked the social workers’ community for the opportunity to discuss issues with them on a deeper level and personally hear their sentiments following the viral case of Rose, the woman who surfaced from a Makati sewer.

Secretary Gatchalian was joined by Undersecretary Denise Bernos-Bragas and Asst. Secretary Janet Armas of the Regulatory Services and Institutional Development (RSIDG).

The social workers who handled Rose’s case led by Director Marlyn Moral of the Pag-abot Program also actively participated in the dialogue.

The social workers’ associations attending the dialogue through their respective representatives were the National Council for Social Development (NCSD); Association of Child Caring Agencies of the Philippines (ACCAP); Philippine Association of Court Social Workers, Inc. (PASWI); DOH (Department of Health) League of Medical Social Workers, Inc.; and the National Association of Social Work Education, Inc. (NASWEI).

Other groups that joined the meeting via online were the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines Incorporated (ALSWDOPI); Association of Medical Social Workers of the Philippines, Inc. (AMSWPI); Association of DSWD Social Workers, Inc. (ABSNET); and the Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc. (PASWI). (LSJ)