LESSON 1
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINES
THE PRE-SPANISH TIMES
Communities were independent social units called “barangays,” often ruled by a
headman, usually the oldest member of the community, known as a “dato.” The dato’s
role was to oversee the welfare of the members, serve as the arbiter of conflicts, and
lead in times of war or anger.
Welfare Focus: Mutual protection for economic survival
Basic Concepts: Bayanihan and Damayan
Sources of Policies: Maragtas Code and Kalantiaw Code
SPANISH PERIOD (1521-1898)
Basic Philosophy: Religion was the motivating force behind charity.
Forms of Charity: Almsgiving, charitable institutions, and hospitals for the poor.
Sources of Funding: Religious orders, contributions and donations from wealthy
individuals, and subsidies from the Spanish government (both in the Philippines
and in Spain).
Significant Developments: Religious orders established institutions for the welfare of
the people:
● San Lazaro Hospital (1578) – Cared for indigent beggars and sick "natives."
● San Juan de Dios Hospital (1596) – Cared for indigent and sick Spaniards.
● Hospicio de San Jose (1810) – For the care of orphans and the aged.
● Asilo de San Vicente de Paul (1885) – For the care and protection of indigent
and orphaned girls.
● Santa Isabel – A school for indigent girls.
● San Juan de Letran – A school for indigent boys.
Outside of these institutions, almsgiving was regularly practiced by churches, convents,
and affluent individuals and families.
FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1896-1902)
● Tandang Sora (Melchora Aquino) took care of sick and wounded soldiers.
● Hilaria Aguinaldo, wife of the President of the First Republic, introduced the
concept of the Red Cross.
AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1899-1946)
● Birth of voluntary organizations for social welfare, such as the Associated
Charities of Manila (1917).
● Public welfare: The government began assuming responsibility for social welfare.
Parens Patriae: The concept that it is the duty of the government to provide for
children’s welfare when parents are unable to care for them.
The administration of social welfare in the Philippines saw significant developments
during Frank Murphy’s tenure as governor-general in 1933. Scholarship grants for
professional training in social work in the United States were introduced.
The Murphy administration’s social welfare programs marked the first time the
government assumed full responsibility for providing relief to those distressed by any
cause.
THE COMMONWEALTH PERIOD
● President Manuel L. Quezon passed several key laws, including anti-usury laws,
the eight-hour labor law, minimum wage laws, and laws related to insurance,
pensions, and women and child labor.
● He initiated housing projects that allowed tenants to purchase these houses
through easy installment plans.
● Quezon also established relief boards and other bodies to carry out relief
activities during natural calamities, economic crises, and periods of
unemployment.
THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION
● The Second World War (1942-1944) brought death and immeasurable suffering
to the Filipino population.
● Social welfare activities during this period primarily involved providing medical
care, food, and clothing to wounded soldiers, prisoners, and civilians.
● The Bureau of Public Welfare was closed when the war broke out but was
reorganized by the Executive Commission to focus on general welfare, providing
food and comfort to released prisoners from concentration camps.
● Relief efforts were mainly carried out by volunteer organizations such as the
Philippine Red Cross, YWCA, and the National Federation of Women’s Leagues.
Hospitals like the Philippine General Hospital, St. Luke’s, Mary Johnston, and
North General Hospital also provided medical treatment.
● Churches and convents served as centers for operations, with members of
religious organizations volunteering their services.
THE POST-WAR YEARS
● The Bureau of Public Welfare reopened in 1946, but limited funding restricted its
operations.
● On October 4, 1947, recognizing the need for a more centralized and integrated
social welfare program, the Bureau became the Social Welfare Commission,
which was placed under the Office of the President. This marked the formal
recognition of social welfare as a responsibility of the state.
● The late 1940s saw the emergence of new socio-economic and political
challenges. The feudalistic tenancy system led to a dissident movement that
threatened the stability of President Elpidio Quirino’s government.
● In August 1948, President Quirino created the President’s Action Committee on
Social Amelioration (PACSA), which was tasked with providing relief assistance
to the hungry, homeless, and sick, as well as victims of dissident violence.
PACSA's program included health, education, welfare, agriculture, public works,
and financing initiatives.
● An international agency also played a key role in social welfare: The United
Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), created by the UN
General Assembly in 1946, began its activities in the Philippines in 1948 to
improve maternal and child health in economically underdeveloped countries.
THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADMINISTRATION
● On January 3, 1951, the Social Welfare Commission and PACSA were merged
into a single agency, the Social Welfare Administration (SWA).
● The SWA established a staff development service, began accepting social work
field practice students from newly opened social work schools in Metro Manila,
and started conducting surveys and field studies on income, housing, and the
needs of disadvantaged social groups, such as the handicapped.
● With the establishment of the SWA, the responsibility for relief was placed under
the Division of Public Assistance, which focused on more professional
administration of public, tax-supported welfare programs and services for needy
members of society. This office had two main programs:
i. Assistance
ii. Service
● Another important division within the SWA was the Child Welfare Division.
● An additional division was created by Administrative Order No. 7 on September
5, 1951, the Division of Rural Welfare, to address mounting social problems in
rural areas. This included land settlements for victims of dissidence and
disasters, and the establishment of welfare services for non-Christian tribal
groups.
● In 1954, the SWA was reorganized, and the Rural Welfare Division developed
new community programs such as self-help centers, community kitchens, and
cottage industries. “Self-help” became the guiding philosophy for rural community
development projects facilitated by the SWA’s Rural Welfare Division.
KEY LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 1960s
● A key development in the mid-1960s was the passage of Republic Act No. 4373
in 1965, “An Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operation of
Social Work Agencies in the Philippines.” This law is generally regarded as the
formal recognition of social work as a profession in the country.
● In 1968, President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Republic Act No. 5416, known as
the Social Welfare Act of the Philippines, which elevated the SWA into a full
department. The law declared that the government was responsible for promoting
a comprehensive social welfare program aimed at improving the living conditions
of distressed Filipinos, especially those who were handicapped by poverty, youth,
physical and mental disabilities, illness, old age, or natural calamities. It also
included assistance for cultural minorities to facilitate their integration into society.
● The Department drew up a comprehensive social welfare program focused on
the following areas: A. Preventive and remedial programs and services for
individuals, families, and communities.
B. Protective, remedial, and developmental welfare services for children.
C. Vocational rehabilitation and related services for the physically handicapped,
ex-convicts, and individuals with special needs.
D. Training, research, and special projects.
THE SEVENTIES
Martial Law was declared on September 21, 1972, establishing a crisis government. This
period also marked the first (1970s) United Nations-declared “Development Decades.”
On September 8, 1976, the Department of Social Welfare became the Department of
Social Services and Development, shifting its focus from traditional, often institution-
based social welfare to community-oriented programs and services that emphasized
people's own capacities for problem-solving. The department embraced the
development approach to social welfare.
On June 2, 1978, President Marcos issued P.D. 1397, which provided for the conversion
of departments into ministries to adapt to the shift from a presidential to a parliamentary
form of government. As a result, the department was renamed the Ministry of Social
Services and Development, although its organizational structure, functions, and
programs remained unchanged.
In 1949, the Council of Welfare Agencies and the Community Chest of Greater Manila
were established. The Council was tasked with:
● Studying and defining social welfare problems and human needs
● Developing a coordinated plan of action to address these needs
● Helping improve the standards of social services
● Serving as the national committee for the International Conference on Social
Welfare
THE EIGHTIES
The Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) program, the Ministry's flagship initiative, was
upgraded to better respond to clients' needs. The "total family approach" (TFA) guided
the program, emphasizing food production, nutrition, and business management skills
training.
Other key achievements of the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD)
during this period include:
● Launching a case management system employing TFA with a set of Social
Welfare Indicators (SWI)
● Integrating primary health care-related activities into MSSD’s services at the
barangay level
● Greater cooperation and coordination among NGOs in response to MSSD’s
technical assistance, consultation, planning, and monitoring workshops
● Increased participation of local governments in social welfare activities
On January 30, 1987, President Corazon C. Aquino signed E.O. 123, reorganizing
MSSD and renaming it the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
This restructuring reflected the department's evolution from being primarily a welfare or
relief agency to focusing on broader developmental goals. E.O. 123 also provided for the
creation of the Bureau of Women's Welfare, with a focus on preventing or eradicating
the exploitation of women and promoting skills for employment and self-actualization.
The approach adopted by the agency at this time was described as "preventive and
developmental, participative, and client-managed."
THE NINETIES
The DSWD continued its work in its core areas, but with particular attention to low-
income municipalities (LIM) and socially depressed barangays. The department was
also deeply involved in disaster management, responding to calamities and hazardous
incidents across the country.
On October 10, 1991, Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local
Government Code of 1991, was passed. This law led to a significant shift for the DSWD,
as it had to devolve its implementing functions, along with its programs, services, staff,
budget, and assets, to local government units (LGUs) starting in 1992. The devolution
required a realignment of the DSWD's structure and services.
Throughout the 1990s, the DSWD transitioned from its traditional role as a direct service
provider to a more prominent position in social welfare policy formulation, program
development, standard-setting, regulation enforcement, and the provision of technical
assistance and capability-building support to LGUs, NGOs, and POs.
SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS OF THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT IN THE 2000s
● Reduction of poverty and vulnerabilities
● Protecting the poor and vulnerable from risks
● Mitigating pressures on households
Strategies:
● Social Insurance: Programs designed to mitigate income risks by pooling
resources and spreading risks across time and workers.
● Social Welfare: Preventive and developmental interventions aimed at supporting
the minimum basic requirements of the poor, especially the poorest of the poor,
and reducing risks related to unemployment, resettlement, marginalization,
illness, disability, old age, and loss of family care.
● Labor Market: Measures to enhance employment opportunities and protect the
rights and welfare of workers.
● Social Safety Nets: Stop-gap measures or urgent responses to address the
effects of economic shocks, disasters, and calamities on specific vulnerable
groups.
LESSON 2
CONTRASTING VIEWS OF DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
What is Development?
Is development simply more money, bigger houses, and faster computers? This is
material or economic development, but it doesn’t tell the full story. Wealth is unevenly
distributed, not only in the Philippines but across the globe. Did you know that the richest
20% of the world’s population consumes about 80% of its resources, while the poorest
struggle to survive with inadequate access to clean water, food, shelter, education, and
healthcare?
Development is the process of improving a country's situation and value systems to
meet the increasing and diverse demands of social, cultural, political, and economic
needs. It refers to the deliberate effort by a country to foster economic abundance and
social equity through the orderly and wise utilization of resources in order to attain a
better quality of life for all.
● Economic Development refers to the expansion of a nation's capacity to
produce the goods and services its people need.
● Social Development involves improvements in living standards, a more
equitable distribution of income and wealth, better socio-economic stratification,
and increased social mobility.
The Changing Concepts of Social Welfare
● From Charity to Citizens' Rights – This shift moves from benevolent,
indiscriminate giving to recognizing social rights as entitlements of all citizens.
● From Individual Welfare Concern to Social Welfare Concern – Moving from
services for special needs to addressing common social contingencies like
employment, housing, etc.
● From Private Responsibility to Government Responsibility – Shifting from
voluntary social welfare efforts to government-managed functions.
● From Residual to Developmental – Moving from professional-directed efforts to
a recognition that all citizens may require services to help develop their capacities
and perform productive roles in society.
● From Social Welfare in Human Services to Social Welfare in National
Development – Contributing to human development as part of nation-building.
Development Concepts
● Man’s Search for Meaning in Society
● From Survival to Socialization/Participation
● From Self-awareness to Social Consciousness
● From Marginal Man to Self-reliant, Participating Citizen
Formation of Ideologies
● An ideology is a coherent set of ideas about how society should be changed or
reformed. Governments may be classified based on the degree to which they
regulate and control property and economic systems.
● Capitalism allows for great freedom for capital owners, with the means of
production in private hands.
● Socialism permits private ownership but regards major industries as
public utilities, with the government overseeing production and providing
welfare services.
● Communism eliminates private ownership, with everything belonging to
the state in a classless, equal society.
According to President Marcos, the Philippines operates as a free-enterprise society
with an egalitarian base (a society of equals).
Development as Growth in Income
● This means an increase in national income over time. Gross National Product
(GNP) is the total earnings of a country, including wages, salaries, rents,
dividends, profits, etc. The "trickle-down theory" suggests that economic growth
eventually benefits society as a whole.
Development as Progress Toward Social Goals
● Development is aimed at the improvement of living conditions. Economic growth
is valuable only if it leads to a better quality of life for people.
Development as Change in Economic and Social Structures
● This involves reforms at every level—local, national, and international. It includes
changes in social structures, such as the reorientation of values and attitudes
towards family size, work responsibility, and profit-sharing, along with programs
like land reform and widening participation through community councils.
Development as Liberation
● This concept suggests that development is only possible when society is freed
from domination—both external and internal. It involves freedom from
dependency and exploitative structures, enabling people to realize their full
potential.
Development as Humanization
● Development should balance material and spiritual progress. It aims to lift people
out of poverty, unemployment, ill health, and ignorance, and helps modern
society embrace higher values like love, friendship, and contemplation.
The Ideal of Development
● The ultimate goal is a transition from misery to the possession of necessities,
victory over social problems, increased knowledge, cultural growth, dignity for all,
cooperation for the common good, and a commitment to peace.
Development Perspectives: Two Contrasting Views on Poverty
The Poor Are Responsible for Their Poverty
● This view assumes that society provides opportunities for those willing and able
to take advantage of them. Oscar Lewis suggested that the poor develop a
"Culture of Poverty," characterized by resignation and a sense of hopelessness
regarding the future.
Society Is Primarily Responsible for Poverty
● This view argues that both wealth and poverty result from the unequal distribution
of resources within society. Poverty is not merely an individual condition but a
societal issue shaped by systemic inequalities.
Report by:
PRAIRE, Vance Raphael Anthony S.
MALACAPAY, Kyla Marie I.
