Sunday, June 26, 2011

Some distinctions of Ilonggo Social Workers

Aside from the pioneering work and national awards of Ilonggo social workers, social work schools in Western Visayas have produced board topnotchers. Record from the Department of Social Work, Central Philippine University shows the following achievers, corresponding their rank and year of examination: Ana Maria Veria (3rd placer), 1972; Erlinda Baldeviso (5th),1975; Rosie Adayon-Dimamay (4th)and Estela Alayon (7th ), 1978; Nema Andong-Villan (7th),1979; Romeo Guanzon (7th), 1982; Sr. Trinidad Edullan (5th),1984; Hope Hervilla (2nd ), 1987; Raul Bunda ( 18th ), 1989; Sr. Lerma Pangantihon (14th ),1990; Ernesto Arellano (7th),1993; Cherrylyn Calinawagan ( 9th ),1994; Rosalina Lorque ( 8th) and Elizabeth Cubillos (10th ), 1995;Jinkee Gargarita (18th ),1998; and Sheen Faminialan (10th ),2010. Melea Cianel Pabiona-Ellorin, 1st placer in 2001 from Lourdes College in Cagayan, took her first three years of Social Work from Central Philippine University.

From the archive of the Philippine Association of Social Workers-Iloilo, a graduate from the University of Negros Occidental- Recoletos (UNO-R), Bacolod City also tops the board. Rose Sharon Z. Treyes (UNO-R) placed 5th place in the Social Work Board Examination in 2000. Recently another graduate of UNO-R in the person of Richelle Herebias Verdeprado placed 2nd in the June 2011 Social Work Board Examinations. Two schools in Iloilo City, Central Philippine University and Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, have a 100% passing rate for respective new graduates (Readers of this blog from other schools of social work in Western Visayas are invited to update of record with respective board topnotchers)

Related to Social Work Board Examination, it was through the initiative of the Philippine Association of Social Workers (PASWI) - Iloilo that the Board Examination for Social Workers has been also administered in Iloilo City since 1999. This is a record-breaking achievement of the local chapter in the history of social work in Iloilo/Western Visayas. Prior to this, board exams were held only in Manila and later in Cebu for the Visayas region.

PASWI-Iloilo holds the distinction of being the first local chapter to spearhead the Regional Assembly starting in 1998. In fact, it serves as forerunner to the clustering of regions when the PASWI National ratified the constitutional amendment for the biennial convention. There are other significant achievements of Ilonggo social workers and for that matter even in the national scene, that are not properly documented. The series of blogs on this topic is a good start. Hopefully, others will follow suit.

PASWI- Iloilo also played a significant role in networking of the non-government organizations (NGO) and people’s organizations (PO) in Iloilo. In 2000, the initiative of the chapter’s president in spearheading the move to declare the first week of December as NGO-PO Week in the Province of Iloilo gained ground. It resulted to the institutionalization of the celebration by virtue of provincial and city ordinances to recognize the role of NGOs and POs in nation building. Subsequently, the annual celebration has given birth to the organization of the network to spearhead the observance of the ordinance. The Iloilo Coalition of Non-government Organization and People's Organizations (ICON) serves as a symbol of unity among NGOs and POs in the City and Province of Iloilo. Starting as a loose coalition of NGOs and POs accredited by the Province of Iloilo, it has become a rallying point of other NGOs, POs and sectoral members of the civil society organizations.

These are some of the distinctions of Ilonggo Social Workers. No wonder their local chapter holds the distinction of the first chapter to be elevated in the Hall of Fame for garnering the best chapter award in 1995, 1998, and 1999-2000.

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