Policy and coverage of practice regulation
- Republic Act No. 4373, as amended by Republic Act No. 5175, defines social work as a profession primarily concerned with organized social service activity.
- Section 1 amends subparagraph (a) of Section 1 of Republic Act No. 4373 to state that social work facilitates and strengthens basic social relationships and mutual adjustment between individuals and their social environment for the good of the individual and of society through social work methods.
- Section 3 controls who may lawfully practice social work or be appointed to social worker positions in any social worker agency (whether private or government).
Definition of social work
- Section 1 amends subparagraph (a) of Section 1 of Republic Act No. 4373 by defining social work as the profession primarily concerned with organized social service activity.
- The definition requires that social work is aimed to:
- facilitate and strengthen basic social relationships; and
- enable mutual adjustment between individuals and their social environment
- for the good of the individual and society.
Education credential for applicants
- Section 2 amends subparagraph (c) of Section 2 of Republic Act No. 4373 by requiring that an applicant:
- possesses a Master’s Degree in Social Work (M.S.S.W., M.S.S., M.A.S.W., or its equivalent).
- The master’s degree must be conferred by:
- a reputable school, college, or university duly recognized by the government; and also
- a duly accredited school, college, or university abroad.
Practice and appointment requirement
- Section 3 amends Section 10 of Republic Act No. 4373 to require that, unless exempt from registration, no person shall:
- practice or offer to practice social work in the Philippines as defined in the Act; or
- be appointed as a social worker; or
- be appointed to any position calling for a social worker in any social worker agency
- without holding a valid certificate of registration issued by the Board of Examiners for Social Workers.
- Section 3 establishes an exemption from registration for:
- recognized social workers or authorities on social work who are residents and/or citizens of other countries
- called in for consultations
- in any agency working with the United Nations and/or similar international social agencies.
Transitional rights for existing social workers
- Section 3 preserves the rights of:
- permanently appointed social workers
- employed in private or government social work agencies
- as of the approval of the amendatory Act,
- who continue to enjoy rights to promotion and salary increases, retirement benefits, and other previously acquired rights.
- Section 3 exempts from taking the examination those who, at the time of effectivity of the Act:
- possess the qualifications enumerated in Section 12; and
- are actually engaged in the practice of social work
- for a period of five years in a social work agency recognized by:
- the Community Chest,
- the Council of Welfare Agencies,
- the Philippine Youth Welfare Coordinating Council, or
- the Social Welfare Administration.
- The examination exemption applies only if such persons register as social workers within one year after approval of the Act.
- Section 3 grants a retention-and-qualification path for government personnel:
- those holding regular appointments to social work positions in the government service on a provisional status for lack of educational qualifications required under the Act for purposes of taking the board examination,
- who have rendered five years or more of continuous and satisfactory service in social work,
- may retain their positions for qualifying as registered social workers under the Act.
- The retention-and-qualification period is limited to within ten years, but not later than December 31, 1978.
- Section 3 allows continued practice without examination for certain long-practicing persons:
- any person possessing the qualifications enumerated in Section 12 except the qualification specified in subparagraph (d) of Section 2,
- who has been openly performing the functions of, or practicing as, a social worker
- for at least a total of ten years prior to the effectivity of the amendatory Act,
- may continue performing such functions or practice in the same office or agency until retirement,
- without the necessity of examination for registration.
- The continued-practice privilege requires filing with the Board:
- an affidavit affirming continuous practice circumstances, or
- a certification by the Civil Service to the same effect.
Qualification requirements for board examination
- Section 4 amends Section 12 of Republic Act No. 4373 to govern admission to take the social work examination.
- To be admitted, an applicant must, at the time of filing the application, establish to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant:
- is a citizen of the Philippines; and
- is at least twenty-one years of age; and
- is in good health and of good moral character; and
- has received a diploma as holder of a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree or its equivalent-in social work from an institution, college, or university duly accredited and legally constituted.
- Section 4 applies Republic Act No. 2260 insofar as cultural minorities are concerned to the education requirement.
- The applicant must also have completed a minimum period of one thousand case hours of practical training in an established social work agency under the direct supervision of a fully trained and qualified social worker.
Repeal and redesignation of provisions
- Section 5 repeals subparagraph (h) of Section 26 of Republic Act No. 4373.
- Section 6 redesignates subparagraph (i) of Section 26 as subparagraph (h).
Closing effectivity rule
- Section 7 provides that Republic Act No. 5175 takes effect upon its approval.