Senior officials from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Office and Field Office (FO) 4A-CALABARZON joined delegates from ASEAN member states to serve as resource speakers during a panel discussion at the ASEAN Social Work Day 2025 hybrid celebration on Tuesday (March 25) in Quezon City.
The panel discussion underscored the critical work of social workers on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resiliency.
Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said in her message that the role of social workers and social service workforce are both complex and vital in bridging the gap between policy and the people.
“Social workers are immersed in communities ensuring that the most vulnerable groups receive the support that they need. Their involvement goes beyond providing immediate assistance by empowering individuals and communities to actively engage in preparedness, resilience building, and recovery efforts,” Undersecretary Cajipe told the forum at the Novotel in Araneta Center.
Undersecretary Cajipe pointed out that by bridging the gap between policy and people, social workers play a critical role in fostering sustainable, community-driven solutions that promote long-term resilience and adaptation to climate change.
Asst. Regional Director (ARD) Mylah Gatchalian of the DSWD’s FO CALABARZON, herself a social worker, cited the different activities done by the Field Office in relation to disaster risk management.
“In the over-all management of DRR, social workers look into the equitable distribution of resources, and the protection of the vulnerable population like the children, the youth, the persons with disabilities, the women, and the elderly,” ARD Gatchalian said in her message.
Civil Defense Officer Mark Jester Lim of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), on the other hand, noted how social workers play a significant role in the strategic direction in the National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP).
“We recognize the role of social workers in mobilizing communities, advocating for inclusive policies, and strengthening social protection mechanisms that help individuals and families recover and rebuild their lives with resilience,” Civil Defense Officer Lim said.
One of the representatives from the Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) Brunei, Social Work Officer Nur Nadia Syuhadaa binti Samle shared the efforts that they are doing to improve the status of social work education in their country by offering scholarships abroad and making plans to establish lifelong learning opportunities with the Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
Community Development Officer Muhammad Syukri bin Sulaiman, also from SOMSWD Brunei, said that despite the low frequencies of disasters in their country, they are not complacent in terms of disaster preparedness and the effects of climate change.
“Social workers are essential towards building resilience against climate-related challenges. They work to empower individuals and families, ensuring that they have the knowledge, skills, and resources to cope with and adapt to the changing environment around them,” Community Development Officer Sulaiman said.
The last panelist, ASEAN Social Work Consortium (ASWC) Indonesia Secretary General Nurul Eka Hidayati noted that they also apply a cluster system approach in terms of disaster risk reduction and climate resilience which is highly participated in by social workers, both from the government and non-government sectors.
“Social workers are involved in many of these clusters and sub-clusters, especially in shelter management, psychosocial support and vulnerable group protection,” Secretary General Hidayati pointed out.
The Indonesian secretary general explained that the role of social workers in climate resilience is very important because it is directly related to the community.
“Social workers working in the government sector are often asked for assistance in developing climate resilience program at a practical level that is directly in contact with the community,” Secretary General Hidayati added.
The ASEAN Social Work Day 2025 carried the theme: “Recognizing the Vital Role of Social Workers in DRRCR,” reflecting the role of social workers as one of the first responders during natural and human-induced disasters. (AKDL)