Republic of the Philippines
Department of Social Welfare and Development
IBP Road, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills, Quezon City 1126
Telephone Nos. (632) 931-8101 to 07; Telefax (632) 931-8191
e-mail: OS( c@)d wd qovph
Website: hltr www d~wd gov ph
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR No:
06
_
Series of 2010
SUBJECT: Amendment to Memorandum Circular No. 16, Series of 2006 Re:
Creation and Operationalization of the DSWD Core Grol;lp of
Specialists
Memorandum Circular No. 16, Series of 2006 re: Creation and Operationalization of the DSWD
Core group of Specialists is hereby amended to enhance the existing MC and facilitate its full
operationalization. The amendments are as follows:
Under Roman Numeral I - BACKGROUND / RATIONALE
To include paragraph no. 3 to read as follows:
The recently approved Reform Agenda of the Department identified internal capacity building
as one area under Reform Area 4-Improving Delivery of Systems and Capacities specifically on
items 4.2-Improve organizational capacities and competencies through Capability Building;
and 4.3-0rganize resource and expert pools as a key mechanism for harnessing internal
expertise and resources within the Department and its partners.
v- CREATION AND OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE CORE GROUP OF SPECIALISTS
This item includes the framework of operationalization of the core group of specialists to
emphasize the mentoring role of the specialists in addition to their primary role as technical
assistance provider.
Illustration I: Framework of the Operationalization of Core Group of Specialists
SWIDB
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External Pool of Experts
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The diagram illustrates the operationalization of the DSWD Core Group of Specialists. A pool of
internal experts or the "Core Group of Internal Specialists (CGIS) shall be organized from
among the DSWD personnel and will be composed of mentors (Mtrs) and mentees (Mtes) in a
particular field of sectoral program expertise and functional expertise. The mentors are the
internally recognized experts in a particular field; and the mentees are potential future experts
who have interest to pursue acquiring expertise in a particular field and will become the
successors of the mentors. Sectoral area refers to the major clientele sectors of the DSWD
namely: family and community, children and youth, women, older persons and persons with
disabilities to which the major social welfare programs of the Department are aligned including
programs on disaster management as also one of the major focus of the Department.
Functional Area refers to the functional expertise of the Department based on its major final
outputs and corporate plan namely: SWD Policy and Plan Development, Social Technology
Development, Standards Development and Compliance Monitoring, Direct Service Delivery and
Capability Building, Advocacy on Behalf of the Vulnerable Sector, and Networking and
Partnership. These are briefly described as follows based on the Department's Corporate Plan
for 2006-2015:
Sectoral Areas:
Child and Youth Welfare-This sector includes abandoned and neglected children, working children, street
children, victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Abused children, displaced children, children in conflict with
the law, children with disabilities and children of indigenous cultural communities. This group also includes
children traveling abroad and children involved in armed conflict. Protective services for children in need of
special protection are the provision of immediate interventions to vulnerable children and/or victims of child
abuse, neglect and exploitation. These services are both preventive and rehabilitative in nature, and can be
provided either in community or center-based settings.
The Department implements community and center based programs for the youth anchored to the ten priority
areas of the World Programme of Action to the Year 2000 and beyond which include education; employment;
hunger and poverty; health; environment; drug abuse; juvenile delinquency; leisure time activities; girls and
young women; and full effective participation of youth in society and decision-making into the national youth
policies, plans and programmes.
Family and Community Welfare-This includes the sector of Filipino families living below the poverty level
with limited or no access to life's basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health services, facilities,
educational services, and livelihood opportunities. With the family now being affected by the problems and
challenges of environmental development, a major focus with social technologies are the demonstration of a
family oriented approach that will strengthen the coping mechanism of family members by mobilizing their
resources.
Communities at risk includes communities with poor or limited access to food, clothing, shelter, health services,
facilities, educational services and livelihood opportunities. The Department implements integrated delivery of
services (CIDSS) to reduce poverty by improving community empowerment and ensuring quality governance
among participating local government units and other stakeholders. An innovative approach to CIDSS called
the community driven development (KC:KBB) for poverty alleviation focusing on the poorest barangays and
sectors in the community with the main goal of empowering them to address their most pressing problems
while working towards a long-term solution. With the devolution, DSWD also continues to assist in the
development of innovative programs and projects and in enhancing the capabilities of the LGUs so that ~hey
can become more responsive to the specific conditions in their areas.
Women Welfare-This sector includes women 18-59 years old who are disadvantaged or marginalized, victims
of illegal recruitment, involuntary prostitution, armed conflict, battering and abuse as well as women in
detention. The Department provides programs and services that guarantee their welfare and improve their
plight. It also strengthens its partnership with the LGUs, NGOs and other concerned GOs to respond to the
growing influx of women victims needing recovery and re-integration services.
Older Persons and Persons with Disability Welfare-Older persons includes those who are 60 years old and
above who need assistance to cope with and cushion the social and economic impact of the ageing process.
The Department implements center and community based programs and services concomitant to the Philippine
Plan of Action for Older Persons focused on the following areas of concerns: Older Persons and the Family;
Social Position of Older Persons; Health and Nutrition; Housing, Transportation and Built Environment;
Income, Security, Maintenance and Employment; Social Services and the Community; Continuing
Education/learning among the older persons; and Older Persons and the Market.
Persons with disabilities includes those suffering of restriction of different abilities as a result of a mental,
physical or sensory impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the ranged considered normal
for a human being. Programs and services are geared to enable persons with disabilities to realize their full
potential, learn to become self-reliant and eventually become valuable contributors to development Persons
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with disabilities are provided with social services through community based interventions and center-based
facilities.
Disaster Management is an organization and management of resources and responsibilities for addressing all
aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and initial recovery steps. During disasters, the
Department is specifically given the task of extending emergency relief assistance and social services to victims
to help them cope with the crisis, meet their immediate basic needs and eventually lead to their rehabilitation
and a normal life. Specific guidelines have been promulgated to facilitate assistance to disaster victims. These
guidelines are quite specific for implementation during disasters and include specific tasks, personnel
responsibilities, and in implementing details during all phases of emergency.
Functional Areas:
SWD Policy Development - the Department effectively plays a leadership role in moving the Government's
SWD Policy Agenda forward from conceptualization to legislation, implementation and evaluation. Using the
most reliable tools and data sources for policy research, development, and communication, the Department
proactively identifies local and global trends that might impact on the development of public policies affecting,
and/or the delivery of programs and services to the country's vulnerable populations; analyzes the results of
environmental scans and research data, and communicates them, in meaningful form, to relevant stakeholders.
Social Technology Deve/opment- This involves the development of SWD programs and services through a
collaborative system of social technology development, policy planning analysis/interpretation, program design,
program planning, pilot testing/demonstration (social laboratories), social technology adoption and promotion,
and localization/replication.
Standards Development and Compliance Monitoring- This involves establishment and development of
SWD standards (for compliance) guided by principles of professional accountability/ethics and empowerment of
the disadvantaged, engaging stakeholders and intermediaries in dialogue over appropriate standards,
educating the stakeholders on value of adherence to standards, accrediting welfare programs and servic(!s,
licensing of social welfare agencies, and monitoring compliance.
Direct Service Delivery and Transfer of Technology - this involves a complementation and synchronization
of the Department's rowing and steering functions. The key result area covers the demonstration of
implementation of its current programs/services through direct service provision and also through pilot testing
of social technologies. It also employs competent staff and the best available program technology to deliver the
required program processes, and ensures that all pilot projects adhere to at least the expected of other
programs in the community. Also through this, the Department contributes to the growth of the professional
field of SWD by sharing with its network of intermediaries and stakeholders the "best practice" lessons learned
from its programs and services. The Department facilitates the timely phase-out of its pilot community-based
programs to another agency or to the local government unit.
Advocacy on Behalf of Vulnerable Sectors - the Department consistently leads and demonstrates a total
concern for the protection and empowerment of the vulnerable sectors of the population. The Department's
programs and services have a clear advocacy orientation, supported by a comprehensive and functional public
education program. The Department proactively influences the Legislative Agenda, as well as its network of
stakeholders, towards the development of policies, services and programs that enhance the protection and the
empowerment of the country's most vulnerable sectors. A system of effective evaluation of programs .and
services for vulnerable populations is in place.
Networking and Partnerships - the Department works closely with its intermediaries and stakeholders
towards the enhancement of their mutual capabilities to generate participation and resources in the delivery of
people-empowering programs and services.! The Department actively promotes among its networks and
partners' technical assistance and resource augmentation (TARA), program collaboration, policy consultation,
and information.
Resource Generation for SWD Programs- The daunting task of alleviating poverty among the poorest of
the poor, coupled with the insufficient resources to address such, compels the DSWD to generate and mobilize
resources for social welfare and development projects. Along this line, it continuously seeks to establish 'and
maintain good linkages with donor organizations, both at the international (multilateral and bilateral) and local
level, and with civil society partners. This is in recognition of the important role of donor organizations and the
civil society playas partners in promoting development through the funding support to innovate social welfare
and development programs/projects.
Program Management- Program Management is guided by a framework which refers to the coordinated
management of a portfolio of projects or ongoing set of activities within the organization to achieve a set of
goals and objectives. This includes monitoring the operations, and implementation of existing social welfare
and development (SWD) programs/projects, national projects and special concerns. The SWD programs,
projects and services are those programs and projects provided by the Department to vulnerable .and
disadvantaged sectors of society, i.e., children, youth, women, person with disability, older person and family
through community-based, center-based and special projects and concerns.
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Financial Management-This involves preparation and implementation of an effective financial plan to support
the Department's program / activities / projects aimed at achieving its desired outcome and mandate;
development and implementation of policies and guidelines for the effective, efficient and economical
management of financial resources of the department; management of financial and related non-financial
information system to ensure timely compliance with reporting requirements of oversight agencies and
statutes, and to support or provide management with relevant information and advice / options in decision-
making process; and the evaluation and analysis of the operating performance of various responsibility centers
of the Department
The Department recognizes that it has no monopoly of expertise in social welfare and
development field. A Resource Pool of External Experts will be identified to help enhance the
capacities of the internal experts. In the process of networking efforts of the mentors, they
should be the one to identify their counterpart experts outside the Department. The current
effort of the Department regarding SWD-LNet is a good opportunity or a venue for identifying
external experts. The SWD-LNet is a network of learning institutions which aim to provide
accessible, relevant and quality SWD capacity building programs.
The efforts of the CGIS, in collaboration with the external experts are all aimed at building the
capacity of the Department as leader in SWD through its enhanced programs and timely
delivery of appropriate and relevqnt technical assistance to its interme9iaries and
stakeholders.
The Social Welfare and Institutional Development Bureau (SWIDB) shall serve as the
Secretariat in the operationalization of the Core Group of Specialists guided by the formulated
Annual Action Plan and set milestones. The linkage of the Core Group of Internal Specialists
and Social Welfare and Development Learning - Network (SWDL-Net) shall be pursued by 'the
Knowledge Development and Management Division of the Bureau. The mentors who shall have
at least three men tees in a particular field shall select a Focal Person among the men tees who
coordinate on the activities of the mentor. The men tees represented by the Focal Person shall
serve as sub-secretariat to assist SWIDB in the activities of the mentor. The role of SWIDB will
be handled by the Institutional Development Units (IDUs) at the Field Offices. The IOU is the
unit counterpart of SWIDB at the Field Office responsible for the implementation of the
institutional development and capacity building activities of the Department at the regional
level.
1.. Pre-Operational Phase
1..1. Criteria in the identification and/or Selection of Core Group of Internal
Specialists
For purposes of coming up with the initial list of candidates for the specialists, a modified
criteria will be used. Consistent with the introduction of the Mentor (other name for the
specialists) / Mentee as a mode of intervention to highlight the mentoring role of the
specialists, criteria for both the Mentor and the Mentee are identified below.
It must be noted that the identifie'd criteria in the identification and/or selection of Core
Group of Specialists in the existing Memorandum Circular shall still be considered in the
categorization of mentors to the level of junior expert and senior expert after calibration
thru capability building activities. This item will be transferred to Item NO.2 "Operational
Phase"; it will become item 2.3 subtitled "Criteria for Categorization of Mentors into Junior
and Senior Experts".
Mentors:
• Must occupy regular position with salary grade 18 and above positions
• Recognized by the DSWD as an expert
• Meets at least three of the following criteria:
a. Formal trainings / participation in learning conferences either
local/international with focus in field of specialization
b. Years of experience in the field of expertise- at least more than 5 years
c. With various involvement in networks in that selected field
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d. With capacity to develop technical papers for publication
e. Willing and interested to be part of the pool of experts
Mentees:
• Must occupy regular position with salary grade 15, 18 & 22 positions; priority
would be those with higher positions
• Meets at least three of the following criteria:
a. Formal trainings / participation in learning conferences either
local/international with focus in field of specialization
b. Years of experience in the field of expertise- at least more than 5 years
c. With various involvement in networks in that selected field
d. With capacity to develop technical papers for publication
e. Willing and interested to be part of the pool of experts
Along with the modified criteria for the selection of the candidates, the following items on the
identification and selection, official designation and roles for the Mentors and Mentees were
introduced.
1.2. Identification and Selection of Specialists
Mentors:
• SWIDB to conduct a survey within the Department to determine the known
experts in a particular program, OBSUsand FOs shall nominate at least one
Mentor from their respective office for each of the sectoral social welfare and
development program / functional expertise.
• SWIDB/HRMDS review documents of identified mentors for CO nominees for
approval of the Mancom, the IOU and Personnel Unit for FO nominees with the
approval of the Regional Mancom
• SWIDB/HRMDS submit the list of recommened mentors for approval of the
EXECOM
Mentees:
• SWIDB to conduct a survey to determine interested staff/official to be experts in a
particular field /sector. The OBSUsand FOs recommends the list of the identified
mentees
• Assess the character and abilities of the mentee (credibility, potential, diligence,
determination)
• SWIDB/HRMDS review documents of identified mentees for CO nominees, IOU
and Personnel Unit for FO nominees
• Selection on who will be prpmoted as mentors as recognized by the office and .
ranked by the mentor shall be on a yearly basis
• SWIDB/HRMDS submit the list of recommended mentees for approval of the
EXECOM
1.3 Roles and Expectations
Mentors
• Serve as senior experts in a particular field of expertise
• Read/ Review developed materials pertaining to field of expertise prior to further
review by MANCOMand EXECOMe.g. reviewer of existing manuals
• Serve as Mentors to identified Mentee (at least one)
• Serve as Resource Person during trainings, for a, conference
• Participate in Focus Group Discussions (FGD) pertaining to field of expertise to
provide inputs for direction setting
• Serve as "bridge" to broader network of external experts
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" •..
Mentees
• Serve as junior experts in a particular field of expertise
• Serve as future mentor in the field of expertise
• Serve as secretariat to the Pool of experts
• Point person for the activities of the Mentors
• Serve as librarian to compile materials of the Mentors
• Resource pool of the Bureau/FO
2.0peraoonalPhase
2.3 Criteria for Categorization of Mentors into Junior and Senior Experts
Provisions under Item NO.1 of the old MC subtitled as "Criteria in the Identification and/or
Selection of Core Group of Specialists shall be considered under this item.
3. Sustaining Phase
3.3 Other incentives for the specialists
In addition to incentives stated in Memorandum Circular No. 16, Series of 2006, below are
other incentives for the specialists:
Mentors
• The mentors' accomplishments could be considered for promotion
• Could be provided rating on one grade higher
• Reward (recognition or monetary) - A mentor to be rewarded should have
developed a mentor from his/her mentees. (Graduated mentees). This will be
linked to PRAISEthrough a policy guideline to be prepared by the HRMDS.
• Qualified for Civil Service Commission (CSC) awards nominations
Mentees
• Opportunity to learn and enhance one's capacities.
• Opportunity to be exposed in the broader network of external experts
• Priority to avail of trainings and scholarships
REPEALING CLAUSE:
Above provisions amend Memorandum Circular No. 16, Series of 2006 accordingly.
EFFECTIVITY:
This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.
,
Issued in Quezon City, this _~_1'--
__ day of ~ , 2010.
(JAn- IJi\
[ ~~ANG-.nJ Acting Secretary, r;;;D't'(7
DSWD - OSEe
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In Replying Please Cite: R0000017158
