Laws Related to Social Work

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• SUMMARY OF LAWS RELATED TO SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
• Table of Contents


  • Laws for Social Work
  • Laws for Welfare Administration
  • Laws for Senior Citizen / Elderly
  • Laws for Persons with Disability
  • Laws for Indigenous People
  • Laws for Poor
  • Laws for Family
  • Laws for Women
  • Laws for Children and Youth
  • Laws for Climate Change
  • Laws for Special Sectors with Special Concerns
  • Laws related to Crimes
  • Laws for Service Provision
  • Laws related to Housing Settlements
• Republic Act 4373


  Social Work Law
• Approved


  June 19, 1965
• Republic Act 4373


  • Defined Social Work, Social Work Agency and the Qualifications for Board of Social Work, Term of Office, Registration of SW Agencies and Disqualification of SW's
• Republic Act 5175


  Amendment to Republic Act 4373
• Approved


  August 4, 1967
• Republic Act 5175


  • Amended the Qualification of Board of Examiners from BS to MS
• Republic Act 10847


  Amendment to Republic Act 4373
• Approved


  May 23, 2016
• Republic Act 10847


  • Lowered the age requirement for applicants taking the Board examination for social workers, providing for continuing Social work education, and upgrading the sundry provisions relative to the practice of social work
• Republic Act 9433


  Magna Carta for Public Social Workers
• Approved


  November 7, 2007
• Republic Act 9433


  • On Call Status- refers to a condition where public social workers are called upon to respond to an urgent or crisis situation or immediate need or relief work during emergencies such that they cannot devote the time for their own use
  • Rights of Public SW
• Republic Act 5416


  Social Welfare Act of 1968
• Approved


  June 15, 1968
• Republic Act 5416


  • Created a Department of Social Welfare
  • Secretary and 2 undersecretaries should be appointed by the Pres.
  • Undersecretaries should be Masters Degree
  • 5 Bureaus (Family, Child and Youth, Vocational Rehabilitation, Field Services, Training, Research and Special Projects
  • The special projects will include the Central Institute for Training and Relocation of Urban Squatters (CITRUS); disaster and emergency relief services
• Republic Act 7160


  Local Government Code of 1991
• Approved


  October 10, 1991
• Effectivity Date


  January 1, 1992
• Republic Act 7160


  • Decentralization
  • Creation and Conversion of LGU based on income, population and land area
  • Naming of LGUs, Public places and streets in consultation with the Philippine Historical Commission (PHC)
  • Change of name not less than 10 years
  • Qualifications for local officials: a) Governor/VGov- 23 years old, b) Mayor/VMyor- 21 years old, c) Sangguniang Panglunsod-18 years old
  • Term of office is 3 years; not more than 3 consecutive terms
• Executive Order 15


  Redirecting the Functions and Operations of the DSWD
• Signed on


  August 20, 1998
• Executive Order 15


  • DSWD, has been transformed from a direct service deliverer to a technical assistance provider as a result of the devolution of basic services to the local government units
• Republic Act 7432


  The Senior Citizens Act
• Approved


  April 23, 1992
• Senior Citizen


  Any resident citizen of the Philippines at least sixty (60) years old, including those who have retired from both government offices and private enterprises, and has an income of not more than Sixty thousand pesos (P60,000.00) per annum subject to review by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) every three (3) years
• Benefactor


  Any person whether related to the senior citizens or not who takes care of him/her as a dependent
• Head of the family


  Any person so defined in the National Internal Revenue Code
• Contribution to the Community by Senior Citizens

  1. Tutorial and/or consultancy services

  2. Actual teaching and demonstration of hobbies and income generating skills

  3. Lectures on specialized fields like agriculture, health, environmental protection and the like

  4. Transfer of new skills acquired by virtue of their training

  5. Undertaking other appropriate services as determined by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) such as school traffic guide, tourist aid, pre-school assistant, etc.
• Republic Act 7432


  • The Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) may award or grant benefits or privileges to the elderly, in addition to the other privileges provided for under Section 4
• Privileges for the Senior Citizens

  • The grant of twenty percent (20%) discount from all establishments relative to utilization of transportation services, hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants and recreation centers, and purchase of medicines anywhere in the country
  • Free medical and dental services in government hospitals and health centers
  • Exemption from the payment of individual income taxes
  • Exemption from training fees for socio-economic programs
  • Provision of express lanes in all commercial and government establishments, including utilities, banks, restaurants, and the like
  • Allocation of at least 5% of all low-cost housing units developed by the government in accordance with the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992
  • Establishment of a Senior Citizens Day to be observed every 29th of October of every year
  • Establishment of an Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in every city/municipality to be responsible for the implementation of this Act and other programs for the senior citizens
• Services that can be provided by qualified elderly

  • Tutoring and training skills
  • Lectures on specialized fields like agriculture, health, environmental protection
  • Transfer of new skills acquired through training
  • School traffic guide, tourist aid, pre-school assistant
• The Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) may award or grant benefits or privileges to the elderly, in addition to the other privileges provided for under Section 4
• Privileges for senior citizens

  • 20% discount on transportation services, hotels, restaurants, recreation centers, medicine
  • Minimum 20% discount on admission fees for theaters, cinema houses, concerts, circuses, carnivals
  • Exemption from individual income tax if annual taxable income does not exceed the poverty level
  • Exemption from training fees for socioeconomic programs by OSCA
  • Free medical and dental services in government establishments
  • Continuance of same benefits and privileges from GSIS, SSS, PAG-IBIG
• Individuals or non-governmental institutions establishing homes, residential communities or retirement villages solely for senior citizens shall be accorded a realty tax holiday for the first 5 years and priority in building/maintaining roads leading to the facilities
• Retirement benefits from both government and private sectors shall be upgraded to be at par with the current scale enjoyed by those in actual service
• OSCA


  Office established in the Office of the Mayor, headed by a Councilor designated by the Sangguniang Bayan and assisted by the Community Development Officer in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development
• Functions of OSCA


  1. Plan, implement and monitor yearly work programs

  2. Draw up list of available and required services that can be provided by senior citizens

  3. Maintain and update list of senior citizens and issue ID cards

  4. Serve as information and liaison center for senior citizens