Fifteenth Congress of the Republic 
ofthe Philippines 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2538 
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SEP 28 1\10 51 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The position of provincial, city or municipal social welfare and development officer is a 
very crucial one. He/she not only formulates measures for the approval of the local sanggunian, 
but he/she also provides technical assistance and support to either the governor or the mayor in 
carrying out various measures to ensure the delivery of basic services and provisions of adequate 
facilities relative to social welfare and development services as provided for in the Local 
Government Code of 1991. 
As officer-in-charge of the office on social welfare and development services, he/she 
develops and implements, upon approval by the governor or mayor, plans and strategies 
pertaining to social welfare programs and projects. He/she not only identifies the basic needs of 
the needy, the disadvantaged and the impoverished and develops and implements appropriate 
measures to alleviate their problems, but also provides relief and appropriate crisis intervention 
for victims of abuse and exploitation by being in the frontline of service delivery, particularly 
those which have to do with immediate relief and assistance during the aftermath of natural and 
man-made disasters and calamities. 
Thus, there is an urgent need to professionalize the delivery of various basic social 
services by making the qualifications of these social welfare and development officers equivalent 
and comparable with their counterparts in the local government units. Setting certain parameters 
as to who would qualify as social welfare and development officers and making mandatory their 
appointment in municipal governments are steps in the right direction. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 


Fifteenth Congress ofthe Republic 
of the Philippines 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2538 
St t\ J, '; '':' 
aFFlCt OF 1 H[ ;p[CHt 1 Aih 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991, BOOK 3, TITLE 5, ARTICLE 13, 
SECTION 483, AS AMENDED 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
' 
SECTION 1. Section 483, Article 13, Title 5, B.o.ok 3 .of Republic Act N.o. 7160, 
.otherwise kn.own as The L.ocal G.oveipment C.ode of 1991, as amended, is hereby further 
amended to read as f.ollows: 
"SEC. 483. Qualifications, Powers and Duties - (a) N.o person shall be appointed 
social welfare and development officer unless he/SHE is a citizen of the 
Philippines, a resident .of the local government unit c.oncerned, of good moral 
character [,] AND a duly licensed social worker [or a h.older .of college degree 
preferably in sociol.ogy or any other related course from a recognized college or 
university, and a first grade civil 'service eligible or its equivalent]. He/SHE must 
have acquired experience in the practice of social w.ork f.or at least five (5) years 
in the case of the provincial or city social welfare and devel.opment officer, and 
three (3) years in the case of the municipal social welfare and development 
officer. 
"The apP.ointment of a social welfare and development officer is mandatory for 
the provincial, [and] city [,] and [optional f.or] municipal government." 
SECTION 2. Separability Clause. - If any proVISIOn of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional .or the application there.of to any person, circumstance .or transacti.on is held 
invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions .of this Act or the applicability of such provision 
to other persons, circumstances or transacti.ons shall not be affected thereby. 
SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - The provisions of all other laws, decrees, orders, rules 
or regulati.ons .or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed accordingly. 
SECION 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in 
the Official Gazette and in tW.o (2) newspapers of nati.onal circulati.on. 
Approved,