Senator Urges Regularization of Filipino Social Workers Nationwide

Senator Loren Legarda paid tribute to Filipino social workers as “irreplaceable” pillars in humanitarian and welfare response across the country.

“Social workers are not just indispensable; they are irreplaceable. In times of need, they are the first to respond and the last to leave. Their service is not quiet—it is courageous, visible, and deeply transformative,” Legarda declared.

She highlighted her decades of collaboration with social workers from DSWD to local welfare offices supporting medical aid, education, burial, food assistance, psychosocial services, and emergency finances.

Legarda underscored the impact of employing a licensed social worker in her own office, noting, “Her empathy, technical expertise, and deep understanding of human vulnerability have elevated the way we serve our people.”

During her speech, she issued a call to action, stating, “It is time to regularize our social workers… How can we expect sustained care from those who themselves lack job security? This is not just a labor issue—it is a moral one.”

Legarda insisted that the government must invest in the welfare of social workers deployed in the harshest and most emotionally taxing situations.

“As we honor their work, let us match our praises with policy. Social workers should not just be applauded—they should be protected, supported, and empowered,” she concluded.

Regularizing social workers would provide them with job security, benefits, and dignity, reinforcing their crucial role in building resilient communities across the Philippines.