Republic of the Philippines

National Capital Region

Katipunan Ave, Quezon city

MIRIAM COLLEGE
College of Arts and Science
Department of Social Work

Graduate Program

HOME WORK NO. 5

Submitted by:

Sarah Mae F. Alonzo, RSW

Student

Submitted to:

Ms. Luz M. Martinez, M.S.W.

Faculty/Coordinator
 Advance Generalist Social Work Practice on Local Government
Units: Is it possible?

Abstract

This qualitative and descriptive study will examines the Significance of Advance Generalist

Social work Practice to Front liners in Local government Unit and its corresponding Challenges

thru use of survey, questionnaires and interviews. It will analyze the front liners broad roles and

function as they manage to practice the advance generalist approach thru looking into micro-

macro level of intervention. This article will also explores on how can a frontline social workers

applies Advance generalist social work practice given on the bureaucracies in the local

government and the power of its Mayor to control and influence the implementation of the social

welfare programs and services.

Introduction

On August 16, 2017, The Commission on appointments has rejected the ad intermin
appointment of Social Welfare Secretary after the Committee on Labor has recommended the
rejection of the Taguiwalos Appointment. (Rappler, CA Rejection of DSWD Chief).
The struggles of Judy Taguiwalo started when she release a memorandum circular in

providing social aid and stop political patronage. In the memorandum circular, it stated that the

influence of politicians thru endorsement is not integral on providing protective services for the

poor and needy families. This means that the client who seeks assistance doesnt need to be force

to seek endorsement letter to the politicians and doesnt need a political backing in order to seek

assistance from the Department. Upon this release, the politicians especially the Congress

reacted and some infuriated to the Former Secretary which gave her the struggles to grant her

appointment as the Secretary of the Department without taking considerations her competence,
advocacies and heart to serve the poor needy families. This kind of treatment only reveals and

illustrates on how can the politicians holds and exercise power over their people.

Statement of Problem

With the social work variety of settings, the social workers do not only address needs and

problems at the personal or family level but also at the neighborhood, national and international

level. However, along the way, Social workers encounter hindrances and barriers in the practice

such as socio-cultural and political that can be detrimental and way different in the practice of

Advance Generalist approach.

It is eminent that after the passage of the Local Government Code in 1991, all basic social

services, and budget corresponding to the salary and funds to the staffs and programs were

devolved from National agencies to Local Government Units where municipal mayors serve as

the local chief executive. This entails that basic delivery of social services are transferred to the

local government where direct workers are needed. The Direct workers in implementing of these

basic social services are the Municipal Social workers or the Frontline Social workers. These

front liners are expected to follow the agenda and priorities of the local chief executive and local

government officials.

Being direct workers wherein programs and services are being prioritized according to the

agenda of the current administration will serve as big challenge to the front liners especially if

these programs and services are not suitable and responsive according to the needs of the

community.
 This study aims to address the questions below written:

1. How can a Social Worker on Local government Unit would provide micro-macro

interventions to their individuals, groups and communities given that they work under the

direction and supervision of their mayors?

2. What is the significance of the Advance Generalist Social Work Practice in the Local

Government?

3. What are the challenges and Hindrances on the Advance Generalist Approach in Social

Work Practice in Local Government Unit Setting?

Review of the Literature

This article will focus on the Significance of Advance Generalist Approach in Local

Government Units. As defined by Bolin, Advance Generalist Social work is similar to the

BSSW-working with individuals, families, communities, administration, etc. but with a multi-

dimensional, complex view of the social work helping process. It includes the use of breadth and
(Glenmaye, Lewandowski &
depth of knowledge, skills and ethics as well as being a model for practice.
Bolin, 2004).

It requires integration of theory and practice of the micro, mezzo and macro perspective and

intervention. It suggest that Advance Generalist has ability to choose among competing

paradigms of the practice and able to convert problematic situations to a problem to be solved.

Therefore, Advance generalist suggests that professional should focus on dynamic engagement

with problematic circumstances rather than an emphasis of mastery of content. However, in the

practice most of the social workers traditionally focuses on the mastery of discrete areas of
knowledge, hence it leads to mismatch to the changing character of the situation of the practice

especially in dealing with the different social systems. (Lavit, 2009)

Social workers in the country function within a social system and this includes the social

agency to which they are accountable. Some social agencies are small with only three levels of

hierarchy: the executive, the supervisor and the workers while the others are large. These large

social agencies are the formal organization that are structured in what is believe to be the most
( Mendoza , 2008 ).
efficient way of getting a big job done or also called as Bureaucracy. Bureaucratic

or Bureaucracy is a form of organization which is very prominent in the government agencies in

the Philippines. It can be seen as pyramid where there is on authority on top and the base is

under. Meaning the chain of command is from top to bottom. (2013 Cordero, Guttierez & Pangalanan ).

Bureaucracy has distinctive and unique characteristics. Its organization operates according to a

body of laws or rules which are consistent and have normally been intentionally established. For

instance the R.A 7160 or the Local Government code stated that the Local Chief Executive has

the general supervision and control over all programs, projects, services, and activities of the

municipal government. (Local Government Code of, 1991, Section 444.b.1). Every official has a specified sphere

of competence, obligations, authority and power. Since its nature is hierarchal each lower office
(2013
is under his control and supervision. Hence, obedience and conformity is strictly defined.
Cordero, Guttierez & Pangalanan, ).

Social agencies are also subject to pressure from outside and within the organization. For

instance, the political factors can be a hindrance in the normal operations of public agencies

because of the new appointment of managers and staff (, 2013 Cordero, Guttierez & Pangalanan, ).
Analyzing

the incidence of innovations from the perspective of the local chief executive (LCE) is also apt in
the case of the Philippines because mayors command enormous administrative and political

powers. More often than not, the incumbent LCEs are supported by the majority in the local

councils, get to appoint their own wards in key positions, and effectively anoint their own

successors. They propose and then disburse the annual fiscal budgets of their local government

units (LGUs). With this power, they can prioritize public services and use their discretionary

funds to win supporters or return favors, subject only to the administrative oversight of the

national government. (de Dios 2007, Lacaba 1995).

Another is the socio-cultural factors such as utang na loob and pakikisama oftentimes

characterize the informal relationship that may contravene the formal tenets of the organization.

The economic situation also affects the funding and support to social agencies that may cause the

cutting down or elimination of existing programs. (2013 Cordero, Guttierez & Pangalanan, ).

With this kind of challenges in the practice of Advance Generalist, this study will analyze and

evaluate the possibilities to resolve this challenge through shifting of traditional methods into

innovative Practice of Advance Generalist.

Methodology

The primary data in this study will be thru Survey, Questionnaires and interview method

with LSWDOs as participants thru collaboration with the Philippine Association of Social

Workers Inc. and the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officer Inc.

Pampanga Chapter. Through this method it would examine the work and work environments of

MSWDOs, the programs and services they provide, the approaches that they use, decision-

making processes relating to their budget, and the management of their programs and services

and related concerns.

Theoretical Framework

This article aims to find out the Significance of the Advance Generalist Approach to

Local Government Unit Social workers. Lipsky (1980) had argued that street-level bureaucrats

such as social workers have considerable latitude in the way they do their work, with their

practice and decisions shaping and constituting public policy to a certain extent. But there are

those who argue that the work done by social workers at the ground level is influenced to a

significant extent by their organizational context and the broader environment in which their

organizations operate (Hasenfeld, 2010; Jones & May, 1992). This article analyzes the front liners broad roles

and function as they manage to practice the advance generalist approach thru looking into micro-

macro level of intervention. This article also explores on how can a frontline social workers

applies Advance generalist social work practice given on the bureaucracies in the local

government and the power of its Mayor to control and influence the implementation of the social

welfare programs and services. In the systems theory of Marx and Darwin, it explains on how

human behavior intersects with the influences multiple interrelated systems. According to this

theory, all systems are interrelated arts constituting and ordered whole and each subsystem

influence others parts of the whole. In line with this theory, social workers are involved mostly

with a systems whom mostly are closed and bureaucratic organization. This study analyzes on

how the social workers would apply the Advance Generalist approach considering the political

and socio-cultural factors that has in the Local government unit setting.
Expected Outcome

The anticipated result of this research is to determine the Significance of the Advance

Generalist Approach to Social Worker in the Local Government Unit. It also aims to identify on

what are the challenges and hindrances in using the approach given that the Social Workers were

involved in a politically inclined and Bureaucratic system. It also expected to address the

strategies and opportunities of the Advance Generalist Approach to the social work practice in

the Local government unit especially on the Direct Worker handling individuals, groups and

community.

References

Cordero, E. A., Gutierrez C. L., Pangalanan, E. A, (2013). Administration and Supervision in

Social Work Revised Edition. Page 43, Page 12

GlenMaye, L. R., Lewandowski, C. A., & Bolin, B. L. (2004). Defining complexity: The
theoretical basis of advanced generalist practice.

Hasenfeld, Y. (2010). Human services as complex organizations (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA:
Sage Publications.
Lavit, M. R., ( 2009). Advance Generalist Practice, a Conceptual Discussion

Lipsky, M. (1980). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public services. New
York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation

Mendoza, T. L (2008). Social Welfare and Social Work Third Edition. Page 594

R.A 7160, (1991) Local Government Code of 1991, Section 444.b.1

Rappler,( August 16, 2017), CA Rejection of DSWD Chief.