BUEN VIVIR: SLSU-MCC Social Work Department Celebrates Social Work Month 2024
The Social Work Department of Southern Leyte State University-Maasin City Campus (SLSU-MCC), in alliance with the Junior Social Workers of the Philippines (JSWAP) Maasin City Chapter, celebrates this year’s Social Work Month with the theme: Buen Vivir. As their pilot activity for the month-long celebration, an outreach program was conducted on March 17, 2024, to the children of the Sama-Badjao Community in Barangay Dulho, Bato, Leyte. "Magsukol," a native Badjao dialect with its English translation “Thank you,” became a paradigm of hope in uplifting and inculcating benevolence and communal unity among the members of the Sama-Badjao Community.
The Battle of the Wits and Brains was underscored on March 20, 2024, as social work students of SLSU-MCC clashed in different academic competitions. Different loud and enthusiastic yells and cheers from the different levels elevated everyone’s spirit of competitiveness. Subsequently, the extemporaneous speech, poster-making, and essay-writing competitions simultaneously started, and the quiz bee competition followed. In the afternoon session, social work students attended a seminar on a specific topic: Gender and Development Realities (GAD). The seminar encompasses the prevalent discrimination against women and their challenges in fighting for not just equality but also equity. Micah Salem, RSW, was the resource speaker and oversaw inculcating awareness and understanding about women’s empowerment and means of fostering a more gender-sensitive community.
Contenders did not lower their guards as they competed in various literary competitions. The afternoon session was dedicated to honoring the September Licensure Examination for Social Workers (LESW) 2023 Passers for their achievement and triumph in finally accomplishing the exam and earning their title as a Registered Social Worker (RSW). Zenelyn Daño, RSW, one of the 2023 LESW passers, shared her enthralling experience as she prepared and reviewed for the LESW. SLSU-MCC alumnus Sam Valdez, RSW, also shared with the newly licensed social workers his memoir to encourage them eager to make his zealous journey in becoming an RSW a beacon of hope for them in the new chapter of their lives.
Night falls, and the anticipation intensifies as to who will reign as Mr. and Ms. Social Work Month 2024. The much-anticipated pageant determined a new set of victors, Mr. John Vincent Rivas, a 3rd-year male representative was crowned as this year’s Mr. Social Work Month, and Ms. Jowana Taripe, a 2nd-year female representative as this year’s Ms. Social Work Month. The momentous night won’t end without announcing this year’s overall champion, and yet again, the 3rd year has reclaimed the top spot once more, making it a back-to-back success for the year level. The long-month celebration adheres to SGD#1: No Poverty, SGD#5: Gender Equality, and SGD#10: Reduced Inequalities. The pilot event, which was an outreach program, intends to eradicate and stamp out the realities of poverty in the Sama-Badjao Community. The seminar aimed at gearing up aspiring social workers at SLSU-MCC to become more gender inclusive, while the pageant highlighted diverse advocacies that mainstream the reduction of discrimination in our modern societies.
