THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINE 
S E N A T  
s. i o .  437 
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Introduced by Senator S. R. Osmefia 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Social work is the profession which helps individuals, families, groups, 
and communities to develop, improve, maintain or restore their capability for 
coping with the demands of their environment, through the use of social work 
methods and interventions. 
The neglected, the abandoned, the abused, exploited street children, 
drug dependents, alcoholics and out of school youth, squatters, homeless 
families, unwed single parents, disadvantaged women, elderly senior citizens 
the disabled and those with special needs, 
the underprivileged and the 
marginalized constitute the constituents and clientele of social workers. 
This bill seeks to institutionalize social work as a distinct profession and 
to formalize the rights and privileges of social workers employed by the 
government. In order to promote the welfare of social workers, this bill also 
proposes the creation of a Social Work Management Consultative Council 
consisting of representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development, the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Interior and 
Local Government, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Philippine 
Association of Social Workers Inc and the National Association of Social Work 
Educators, to prepare a career and personnel development plan for social 
workers. 
As individuals who are dedicated to a career of helping others, social 
workers have a distinct role in the task of nation-building. This bill is but a 
modest gesture to acknowledge their invaluable contribution to national 
development. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested 
SERGIO OSMENA 111 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
s. No. 
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Introduced by Senator S. R. OsmeAa 111 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A MAGNA CARTA OF SOCIAL WORKERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic 
of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION I. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta of 
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Social Workers.’’ 
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SEC. 2. Definifion of Terms. -- As used in this Act, the following terms 
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shall mean as follows: 
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families, groups, and communities develop, improve, maintain or 
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a) Social Work - refers to the profession which helps individuals, 
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restore their capability for coping with the demands of their 
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environment, through the use of social work methods and 
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interventions; 
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b) Registered Social Worker - refers to a graduate of Bachelor of 
Science in Social Work or Master’s Degree in Social Work and who 
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f) DOLE - refers to the Department of Labor and Employment; 
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has passed the social work licensure examination; 
c) Practitioner - a registered social worker actively practicing his/her 
profession in a government or non-government organization/agency; 
d) CSC - refers to the Civil Service Commission; 
e) DSWD - refers to Department of Social Welfare and Development; 
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SEC. 6. Merit Promofion and Career Sysfem. - A Social Work 
Management and Consultative Council shall be created to prepare a uniform 
career and personnel development plan applicable to all social workers. Such 
career and personnel development plan shall include provisions on merit 
promotion, performance evaluation, in-service training grants, job rotation, 
incentive awards system and other policies that govern the social security of the 
social workers. 
SEC. 7. Composition. -- 
The composition of the Social Work 
Management and Consultative Council shall consist of representatives of the 
DSWD, CSC, DILG, DOLE, Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc., and 
National Association of Social Work Educators, Inc. 
SEC. 8. Classificafion of Social work Personnel. - The Social Work 
Management and Consultative Council shall develop a career ladder and 
classification system for all social work positions in both government and non- 
government service: Provided, That all position classification shall carry Social 
Worker title. 
SEC. 9. Transfer or Geographical Reassignmenf of Social Workers. - 
No transfer or geographical reassignment shall be made or effected without 
written notice to the social worker concerned stating therein the reason/s for 
such: Provided, That said written notice shall be made at least thirty (30) days 
prior to the date of transfer or reassignment; Provided, further, That, pending 
appeal, such transfer or reassignment shall be held in abeyance; Provided, sfill 
further, That no transfer or reassignment shall be made three (3) months prior to 
any local or national elections; Provided, finally, That the necessary expenses of 
the transfer and/or reassignment of the social worker and hislher immediate 
family shall be paid for by the government. 
SEC. I O .  Security of Tenure. - All social workers who have rendered six 
months continuous meritorious service in a social work agency shall be 
appointed to a permanent status. No social worker holding a permanent position 
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shall be terminated except for cause: Provided, That, in the event the social 
worker is found to be unjustly dismissed by the CSC of the NLRC; as the case 
may be, he/she shall be entitled to reinstatement without loss of seniority rights 
and backwages with (20%) per centurn interest to be computed from the time 
hidher compensation was withheld from him/her up to the time of reinstatement. 
However, if the social worker does not desire to be reinstated, he/she shall be 
entitled to backwages and separation pay with twenty per centum (20%) 
interest. 
In the case of separation and retirement of social workers employed by 
NGOs and private social work agencies, their governing board shall develop and 
implement a comprehensive separation and retirement pension plan starting 
from a minimum of five (5) years continuous meritorious service until compulsory 
retirement of its personnel. Such personnel service component shall be a basic 
requirement in the licensing and accreditation of social work agencies by the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development. 
SEC. 11. Discrimination Prohibited. - A social worker shall not be 
discriminated against by reason of creed, sex, political beliefs, civil status, and 
ethnic grouping in the exercise of hidher profession. 
SEC. 12. No Understaffing/Overloading of Social Workers. - There 
shall be no understaffing or overloading of social workers. The ratio of staff to 
clientele shall be such as,to reasonably effect a sustained delivery of quality 
social service at all times without overworking the social workers and over- 
extending their services. 
SEC. 13. Code of Conduct -- All social workers shall be guided by the 
Social Workers Code of Ethics. 
SEC. 14. Overtime Work, - Where the exigencies of the service so 
require, any social worker, whether in the government or non-government 
service, may be required to render service beyond the normal eight (8) hours a 
day, inclusive of Saturday, Sundays or non-working holidays. In such a case, 
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the social worker shall be paid an additional compensation in accordance with 
existing laws in this regard. 
SEC. 15. On-Call Pay. - In case of “on-call” status, the social worker 
shall be entitled to an “on-call” pay equivalent of fifty (50%) per centum of 
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hidher regular wage. “On-call” status refers to a condition when social workers 
are called upon to respond to urgent or immediate needs or relief work during 
emergencies such that the social worker cannot utilize the time for personal 
needs; Provided, That no social worker shall be placed in ”on-call” status 
beyond seven (7) days per month. 
SEC. 16. Married Social Workers. - Whenever possible, the proper 
authorities shall take steps to enable married couples, both of whom are public 
workers, to be employed or assigned in the same municipality, but not in the 
same office. 
SEC. 17. Freedom From lnferference or Coercion. - It shall be 
unlawful for any person to commit any of the following acts of interference or 
coercion: 
a) To intimidate or force a social worker to submit valuable documents 
that will violate the principles of confidentiality of records agreed upon 
between him/her and the clientele groups: Provided, That the release 
of such documents shall be approved by the clients concerned and 
shall redound to their social well-being, and upon court order; 
6) To prevent a social worker from upholding and applying the basic 
social work principles in carrying out the programs and services for 
the target client groups of the social work agency; 
c) To put as a condition of employment that a social worker shall not 
require the social work agency to adhere to or enforce the provisions 
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of the Magna Carat for Social Workers; 
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d) To intimidate in order to encourage or discourage membership in any 
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social work organization or union; 
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e) To prevent a social worker from carrying out hidher duties and 
functions in the social work organization or union or to penalize the 
social worker for any lawful action performed in that capacity; 
9 To make calculated harassment and interference with the intention of 
intimidating or preventing the social worker from performing his duties 
and functions; 
g) To make calculated harassment against, or, to transfer penalize or 
terminate the services of a social worker who is carrying out hidher 
advocacy function role for and in behalf of hidher advocacy function 
role for and in behalf of hislher clientele groups who are victims of 
social injustice. 
SEC. 18. Compensation. - The existing law on the salary scale of 
government employees shall apply in determining the salaries of registered 
social work practitioners in government, including the local government units. 
Social workers in non-government service shall receive salaries not below the 
salary scale of similar position levels in government. 
Provided, That in case of violations of this provision, the social worker 
concerned shall file the necessary complaint to CSC or NLRC through the 
Social Work Management and Consultative Council; Provided, further, That after 
effectivity of this Act, the salaries of social workers in both government and non- 
government service shall be upgraded to one (I) 
salary range higher than their 
present salary grade; and Provided, finally, That the salary and privileges of 
Social Workers from 4'h to 6'h provinces, cities, municipalities shall be equivalent 
to their counterpart in the First, Second and Third class classification levels 
through augmentation from the national government. 
SEC. 19. Ofher Benefifs. - Aside from the benefits received as required 
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receive the following: 
under existing laws and Executive Orders, the registered social workers shall 
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Hazard Allowance - Social workers assigned in remote and 
depressed areas, strife-torn or embattled areas, distressed or isolated 
stations, mental hospitals, leprosaria, areas declared under a state of 
calamity or emergency which expose them to great danger, volcanic 
activity/eruption, occupational risks or threats to life shall be 
compensated with hazard allowance equivalent to at least twenty per 
centum (20%) of the monthly basic salary. 
Subsistenceflransportation Allowance - Social workers who are 
required to render services in communities, institutions, hospitals and 
other social work establishments in order to make their services 
available at all times, shall be entitled to daily full subsistence 
allowance for three (3) meals which shall be computed according to 
prevailing circumstances. These assigned out of their regular work 
stations shall be entitled to per diem in place of this allowance. Actual 
transportation allowance shall also be provided to social workers on 
field work. 
Housing and Living Quarters Allowance. - all social workers who are 
transferred to another assignment due to the exigency of the service 
shall be entitled to free housing within the agency concerned; 
Provided, That if living quarters are not available exigency of the 
service shall be entitled to free housing within the agency concerned; 
Provided, That if living quarters are not available within the agency 
and the personnel has hidher residence outside of fifty (50) 
kilometers radius from such government or non-government facility, 
he/she shall receive a housing allowance, and Provided, further, That 
the rate of such housing allowance shall be periodically adjusted for 
inflation. 
Longevify f a y ,  - A monthly longevity pay equivalent to five per 
centum (5%) of hidher latest monthly basic pay shall be paid to a 
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social worker for every five (5) years of continuous, efficient and 
meritorious service rendered. 
e) Clothing Allowance. - All social workers shall be entitled to a minimum 
of two thousand pesos (P2,OOO.OO) clothing allowance annually, which 
amount shall be adjusted as needed. 
f )  Medical/Health 
Maintenance Insurance. - All 
Social Workers 
employed in non-government service shall, during the tenure of their 
employment, be provided with a comprehensive medical and health 
maintenance insurance from duly licensed and accredited health 
maintenance companies renewable every year. 
SEC. 20. Compensation From Injuries. -All social workers shall be 
protected against work-related injuries in accordance with the Labor Code and 
Civil Service Law, as the case may be. Furthermore, in the case of registered 
social workers employed in non-government service, their respective agencies 
shall secure individuaVgroup accident insurance not less than P200,OOO.OO 
renewable every year. 
SEC. 21. Exemption from Affrifion Law. - The appointment of social 
workers, to any position level shall not be covered by the attrition law in 
consideration of the very nature of their work with the marginalized and 
disadvantaged client groups and victims of disasters, and of the highly technical 
nature of their work and positions within the social work agency. 
SEC. 22. Human Resource Developmenf. - Government and non- 
government agencies/organizations shall conduct human resource development 
and management study in the following areas. 
a) Adequate facilities and resource to render quality social service to the 
clientele: 
b) Opportunities for social workers to grow professionally and to develop 
their potentials and experience a sense of worth and dignity in their 
work; 
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c) Mechanism for democratic consultations; 
d) Staffing patterns and standards of social work to ensure that the 
clients receive quality care; 
e) Upgrading of working conditions, reclassification of positions and 
salaries of social workers to correct the disparity vis-a-vis other 
profess ions . 
f) Allocation of funds for the participation of social workers in seminars, 
conferences, conventions and similar activities as part of their 
con t i n u i ng p rofess io nal reg u I at ion. 
g) Access of NGO social workers to scholarship benefits and grants 
within the Philippines and abroad which are usually made available 
only to government personnel. 
SEC. 23. Highest Basic Salary Upon Retirement. - Upon retirement, 
the social worker concerned shall automatically be granted one (I) 
year salary 
grade higher than hidher basic salary and hidher retirement benefits shall be 
computed on the basis of his/her highest salary received. 
SEC. 24. Rules and Regulations. - The Social Work Management and 
Consultative Council shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations for the 
implementation of the provision of the Magna Carta of Social Worker. 
SEC. 25. Penal Provision. -Any person who shall willfully interfere with, 
restrain or coerce any social worker in the exercise of hidher rights or shall in 
any manner commit any act in violation of any of the provisions of this Act, upon 
conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Twenty Thousand Pesos 
(P20,OOO.OO) but not more than Forty Thousand Pesos (P40,OOO.OO) or 
imprisonment of not more than one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the 
court. If the offender is a public official, the court, in addition to the 
abovementioned penalties, may impose the additional penalty of disqualification 
from office. 
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SEC. 26. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder thereof not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
SEC. 27. Repealing Clause. - All laws, ordinances, rules and 
regulations, other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this law 
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 28. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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