BSSW1001
The Evolution of Social Welfare in the Philippines
I. The Pre-Historic Period
• The nature of Social Welfare existed during pre-colonial period in the Philippine history;
• Filipinos lives in small scattered communities usually located along mouths of rivers and
coastal plains;
• These communities were independent called “Barangays”; and
• The Barangay were often ruled by “DATO”
• His responsibility was to oversee the welfare of the member of his barangay; and
• He also functioned as arbiter of conflict and leader in times of danger.
• Social welfare work in those times centered on mutual protection and economic
survival.
• This caused groups to band together and communities to link with each other through
marriage among their members.
II. The Spanish Period
• Communities were group together to form Pueblos;
• Which resulted in health and problem sanitation, personal maladjustment and
economic dislocation; and
• Problem with destitution or indecency resulting from natives punitive methods of
Spaniards towards “natives”
• Pious encomenderos provided them aid together with other residents who responded to
the sick and poor;
• The motives was religious
• To do good to other for the salvation of the souls; and
• The teaching of church which the Spaniards brought with them served as the underlying
philosophy behind social welfare activities in the country.
• Early Spanish missionaries not only taught religion to the Filipinos but to administered
hospitals and orphanages
With religious charity as their motivation, pious organization also undertook the
establishment of asylums and orphanages for the poor and needy:
1. La Real Casa Misericordia 1594;
2. Venerable Third Order of Sampaloc 1611;
3. Archicofradia de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Recoletos 1655;
4. Real Y.V.O.T. de Santo Domingo 16999
5. Hospital of San Jose
6. Venerable Congregacion de Sacerdotes de San Pedro Apostol 1868;
02 Handouts 02 Property of STI College Cotabato
Page 1 of 5
BSSW1001
7. Nues Señora de la Consolation;
8. Santo Tomas de Villanueva;
9. Asilo de San Vicente de Paul for girls; and
10. Hospicio de San Jose
To complete the colonization campaign, Spain embarked on the establishment of the Schools
1. Parochial School of Cebu 1565;
2. Colegio de San Ignacio 1589;
3. San Ildenfonso College 1595;
4. Colegio de San Jose 1601;
5. Colegio de San Felipe 1717;
6. Artillery School 1754;
7. Ateneo de Manila 1859;
8. Santa Isabel 1694;
9. Santa Rosa 1750; and
10. Sta. Catalina 1696
III. The American Period
• The Americans occupied the country in 1899 and introduced the new educational
system, new health methods and religious freedom;
• In 1902, following epidemic of bubonic, plague, cholera and smallpox, then government
created an agency, Insular Board, to coordinate and supervise private institution engage
in welfare work.
• On February 5, 1915, the American government created the Public Welfare Board with
the passage of Legislative Act No. 2510, essentially to coordinate the welfare activities
of various existing charitable organizations.
• In January 1917, a government orphanage was set up in Makati, Rizal, and the first
government entity to operate as a welfare agency, and an initial step in child welfare
services.
• 1900 Philippine Normal School was made for deaf children followed by school of deaf in
blind in 1910.
• In 1917, Associated Charities of Manila was founded by a group of civic-spirited
Americans and Filipinos, having in mind the concept of a Community Chest, as it is now
called.
• In 1905, Philippine chapter of the American Red Cross was established to take charge of
disaster relief in the country and to administer American Red Cross funds from United
States.
02 Handouts 02 Property of STI College Cotabato
Page 2 of 5
BSSW1001
• At the end of World War I, the organizers of the Philippine Chapter decided to maintain
the organization.
• In 1907, La Gota de Leche was established to furnish child-caring institution.
• In 1910, the Philippine Anti-Tuberculosis Society was organized, following the first
meeting of the Far Eastern Association of Tropical Medicine in Manila.
• In 1913, the Association de Damas Filipinas was organized by civic-spirited women to
help mothers and their children using funds obtained from membership fees, and later
fund granted by the Public Welfare Board.
• In 1926, the association founded a Settlement House patterned after Jane Adams’ Hull
House.
• In 1921, the Office of the Public Welfare Commissioner was created under the
supervision of the Department of Interior.
• In 1924, the Associated Charities had become an independent agency under the
supervision of the Public Welfare Commissioner and was being partly financed by the
government, and partly by the contributors.
• In same year (1924), the Philippine Legislature passed a law (Philippine Legislative Act
No. 3203) relating to the care and custody of neglected and delinquent children and
providing probation officers for them.
• In 1926, some of the children in the government orphanage in Makati were transferred
to Welfareville, a 50 hectare compound supervise by the Division of Dependent Children
in the Office of the Public Welfare Commissioner.
• The Division introduced the “congregate system”.
• The administration of social welfare in the Philippines was marked by significant
development when Frank Murphy became the Governor-General in 1933.
• In 1930’s, Dr. Jose Fabella was a director of Office of the Public Welfare Commissioner.
• Jose Jara Martinez, the first Filipino who obtained a diploma in Social Work from New
York School of Social Work in 1921, who worked for the Public Welfare Board and
started to introduced Scientific Approach in Social Work.
IV. The Commonwealth Period
• Major changes in Philippines political and social life took place as a result of Filipino
taking over the reins of government during the Commonwealth Period.
• President Manuel L. Quezon, working for social justice, prevailed upon the National
Assembly to pass the anti-usury laws, the eight labor law, law fixing minimum wage,
laws related to insurance, pensions and women and children labor .
• In 1940, the Office of the Commissioner of Health and Public Welfare was abolished and
replaced by a Department of Health and Public Welfare.
• In 1941, an Executive Order established under the Bureau of Public Welfare.
02 Handouts 02 Property of STI College Cotabato
Page 3 of 5
BSSW1001
V. The Japanese Occupation
• Social welfare activities during the period consisted mainly of giving medical care and
treatment, as well as food and clothing, to the wounded soldiers, prisoners and civilians
VI. The Post-War Years
• The Bureau became the Social Welfare Commission and was placed under the Office of
the President
The Social Welfare Commission offered three categories services;
a. Child welfare
b. Public Assistance
c. Coordination and supervision
• In August 1948, President Quirino created the President’s Action Committee on Social
Amelioration (PACSA)
• An international agency also made its mark in the social welfare scene in the late forties
(UNICEF).
The Social Welfare Administration
• On January 3, 1951, the Social Welfare Commission and the President’s Action
Committee on Social Amelioration were fused into one agency called Social Welfare
Administration.
• An important development in the mid-sixties was the passage in 1965 of Republic Act
4373, “An act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operation of Social Work
Agencies in the Philippines.
• Republic Act 4373 is generally considered as the formal recognition of Social Work as a
profession in the Philippines.
• In 1968, President Marcos, signed Republic Act 5416, elevating the SWA into a
Department.
VII. The Seventies
• On September 8, 1976, the Department of Social Welfare became Department of Social
Services and Development.
• On June 2, 1978, President Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1397, providing for
the conversion of department into ministries, the department was renamed Ministry of
Social Services and Development.
• In 1949, Council of Welfare Agencies of the Philippines and the Community Chest of
Greater Manila were organized.
02 Handouts 02 Property of STI College Cotabato
Page 4 of 5
BSSW1001
VIII. The Eighties
• On January 30, 1987, President Corazon C. Aquino signed Executive Order No. 123;
reorganizing MSSD and renamed it Department of Social Welfare and Development.
References:
• Mendoza, T. L. (2008). Social Welfare and Social Work. Quezon City: Central Book Supply
Incorporated.
02 Handouts 02 Property of STI College Cotabato
Page 5 of 5
