DAVAO CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte lauded social workers for their hard work and dedication in social justice, and for being the “foot soldiers for social change.”

At least 2,000 social welfare officers from across the country were gathered to take part in the 26th National Convention and General Assembly of Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines (ALSWDOPI) at the SMX Convention Center here on Tuesday.

In her keynote speech, Duterte said she admires the hard work, resilience, sacrifices, and the positive attributes of social workers.

“Sumasaludo po ako sa inyo — kagaya ng pagsaludo ko sa iba pang mga sektor na nagsasakripisyo at nagbubuwis ng kanilang buhay para mapagsilbihan ang kapwa Pilipino at matulungan ang mga komunidad na malampasan ang ano mang krisis,” Duterte said,

“Karapat-dapat lang na tingnan at pag-aralan ang inyong buhay at propesyon at pamarisan ang lalim ng pagmamahal ninyo sa inyong kapwa at sa inyong bayan. Gusto ko pong ipaalam sa inyo na mataas ang respeto ko sa inyo at sa inyong ginagawa,” she added.

The Vice President emphasized the essential role of social workers in attending to the community during calamities, providing assistance during search and rescue operations, and trauma healing for victims of battering, and physical and sexual abuses.

Citing her experience as mayor of Davao City, Duterte shared the Kean Gabriel Hotline where community members can anonymously report incidents of child abuse.

“The Kean Gabriel Hotline receives calls and messages 24/7. And behind the hotline are social workers. They receive and process information about possible child abuse and, together with the child protection officers of the police, conduct rescue operations,” Duterte said.

“And I must say that without the help and dedication of the social workers and their hearts for abused victims, we could have failed Kean Gabriel once again,” she added

Kean Gabriel was a child who died because of abuse. Since the creation of the hotline in 2016, the city has no recorded child death due to abuse.

The Vice President also highlighted the crucial roles social workers play in implementing all social services projects of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) such as the Medical and Burial (MAB) Assistance Program, Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day, and the PagbaBAGo: A Million Learners and Trees Campaign, where social workers are the frontline providers of services to the public.

The Vice President ended her message by saying that the uplifting and provision of assistance to poor communities will not fail under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“During the election, our battle cry was unity. The significance of unity and being united for a common cause — this time social change — is something that we cannot overemphasize today,” Duterte said.

OVP MEDIA