Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES
Tamag, Vigan City
2700 Ilocos Sur
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK
INTRODUCTION
Philippine Social Realities and Social Welfare Focuses on the Philippine Socio-political,
economic, cultural, spiritual, environment and gender (SPECSEG) realities in the context of
local, regional and global situations, and their implications to social welfare and social work.
This course also invites Social Work students to reflect and critically analyze the causes
and effects of these social problems and the factors perpetuating them. It also offers a
framework for analyzing realities, problems and issues for the poor sectors in Philippine
society and to discuss possible solutions to social problems so as to contribute to positive social
change, social transformation and national development.
Specifically, the students are expected to learn the following:
1. Cognitive
● Outline the SPECSEG realities in the context of local, regional and global
situations.
● Describe Philippine reality using the SPECSEG Framework
● Analyze the different structures and forces that define and/or impinge on
the past and present situation of Philippine society
● Examine the effects of SPECSEG factors that result in inequality, poverty
and marginalization and their impact on people’s choices and quality of
life.
2. Affective
● Realize the universality of social problems in different Philippine
societies.
● Demonstrate appreciation of how these societies’ exhibit resiliency and
strength in responding to social problems.
● Recognize the need for congruence between social realities and its
concomitant problems with existing social protection programs and social
welfare services.
● Recognize the peculiarities and diversities of social realities among
individuals, groups, sectors, communities/societies.
● Commit to human rights, social justice, respect for diversity as core values
and principles of social work.
3. Psychomotor
● Produce a video presentation or any creative expressions on a selected
social issue using the SPECSEG framework reflecting the gains and gaps
of any social protection programs or social welfare services that address
the identified or selected issues.
● Implement an advocacy plan or initiative for a chosen sector.
1
Phi p e Soc Re l i an Soc Wel
Mar n G. Dec , M
Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES
Tamag, Vigan City
2700 Ilocos Sur
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK
CHAPTER 1
SOCIAL REALITY & SOCIAL PROBLEM
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:
➔ Discuss the SPECSEG framework from contextualize base approach (local, regional and
global).
➔ Illustrate social problems and needs faced in different societies resulting in poverty.
➔ Define poverty.
➔ Explain the concepts of neoliberalism and globalization and their implications to social
reality.
➔ Analyze the interplay of internal and external factors impinging on and/or contribute to
the growth of Philippine society.
A. Social Reality
● Affects a person's total social functioning.
● Cultural patterns influence the manner and degree
of self-expression and life satisfaction of people.
● The individual, in his adaptive capacity in relation
with his environment, tries to achieve a state of
equilibrium for maximal social functioning.
● Anything that is actually happening in a society.
● Any change in environment, therefore, whether
social, cultural, physical or physiological which
produce stress may disturb the equilibrium.
● Social reality is created through social interaction
and thereby transcending individual motives and
actions.
● Social reality is the attitudes, beliefs, and opinions
that are held by the members of a society.
● Social Reality is a socially constructed reality and
forms part of the social environment.
● Reality is the state of things as they actually exist,
as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
[Oxford Dictionary]
● It is a situation or real event or series of events that
exists and with relevance.
B. Issues
● Arises if there is a gap/difference between social reality and expectation.
● A matter that is in dispute between two or more parties.
C. Tools for Analysis
➢ Social
includes crucial factors such as access to basic human needs, social networks and
family support, safety against crime and violence,
What are the relationships among persons/groups here?
Who is being developed? Who manipulated?
2
Phi p e Soc Re l i an Soc Wel
Mar n G. Dec , M
Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES
Tamag, Vigan City
2700 Ilocos Sur
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK
➢ Political
refers to the leadership and governance, decision-making and policy development
functions. This dimension is usually associated with power and dominance, as well as
service delivery and community participation in development.
How is power distributed?
Who wins? Who loses? Who decides?
➢ Economic
refers to the situations including the challenges along income
generation,employment, and livelihood opportunities. These situations usually affect
people's ability to make choices, acquire assets of value, and manage stress
How are the resources allocated?
Who owns? Who produces? Who consumes?Who gains? Who pays?
➢ Cultural
refers to the customary values and belief system held by the members of the
community
What are the values exhibited?
➢ Spiritual
refers to the belief and faith system of a particular community. It is the intimacy
and connection to a spiritual being and also serves as a concrete foundation of a
community's patterns of behavior. It is also a critical factor in influencing
decision-making, among others.
Do our religious traditions have anything to say about situations like this?
How have other religious traditions responded?
How closely linked is our theology to the existing situation?
➢ Environment
mainstreaming and establishing link and contribution of environment into the
socio-economic situation of a particular community
How did this situation develop over time?
➢ Gender
integrating analysis of sex and gender data. This include making relevant use and
analysis of sex-disaggregated figures and analysis of data on gender-based violence
How vulnerable are the women and children?
How do vulnerable groups behave in society?
3
Phi p e Soc Re l i an Soc Wel
Mar n G. Dec , M
Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES
Tamag, Vigan City
2700 Ilocos Sur
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK
Analyzing Realities using SPECSEG Framework
BARANGAY LIW -LIWA
Barangay Liw- Liwa is located in the northern part of Danao City and is
more than 800 hectares wide. In the 1950s, it was declared the 100
barangay of Danao City through the legislation passed by congressman
Reyes. It consists of 13 puroks with 13,975 total number of inhabitants and
belongs to the 2 congressional district of Danao City.
SOCIO - POLITICAL The barangay currently employs 20 barangay policemen
provided with enough equipment for their nightly roving
missions. Trained barangay peacekeepers are also provided with
firearms. Barangay peacekeeperstake turns during night to
monitor the peace and order and strictly implements the 10:00
pm- 4:00 am curfew for minors. Among the common crimes
recorded are robbery, alarm and scandal caused by drunkards and
riot among youth gangs. However, despite the petty crimes
committed, the local peace and order council describes the peace
and order situation of the barangay as generally peaceful.
Residents of Barangay Liw- Liwa in the last 2016 election have
put an end to the more-than-a-decade reign of Cabals. Running
as an independent candidate, current Barangay Captain Mercedes
Morales defeated its close rival, the son of former Barangay
Captain Rey Cabal, to become the new Barangay Chairperson.
Former Captain Cabal, on the other hand, is currently one of the
Barangay Councilors after his 3 terms ended.
ECONOMIC Barangay Liw- Liwa is one of the fast-rising residential areas in
Danao City. To date, there are many on-going construction and
development of vast lands to be transformed into middle class
and high-end subdivisions.
The barangay has not yet established its own center for trade or
marketplace, hence, residents rely on the neighboring barangay
Masigla which is far more developed and complete in terms of
basic commodities and services.
On local fiscal administration, Barangay Liw- Liwa has a P4,
660,930.00 internal revenue allotment (IRA). The barangay's
20% development fund amounting to 755,026.60 is largely
allotted to local infrastructure development since some of its
puroks have accessibility problems.
CULTURAL Bisaya is the known and widely used dialect by the residents of
the barangay, except for few who speak Tagalog and Ilonggo.
Furthermore,there are no identified Indigenous people (IPs)
residing in the barangay.
SPIRITUAL 85% of households in Barangay Liw- Liwa are known Roman
Catholics. Every Sunday and other religious events, they go to
4
Phi p e Soc Re l i an Soc Wel
Mar n G. Dec , M
Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES
Tamag, Vigan City
2700 Ilocos Sur
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK
the nearby Sto. Nino Chapel which is under the diocese of
Danao. The remaining 15% of the household belongs to our
religious affiliations.
ENVIRONMENT There are five schools that offer pre-school classes, three (3) are
public schools and (2) are private. There are two (2) day care
centers for children aged 3-5 years old and two (2) public
elementary schools. However, no high school has yet to be
established in the barangay, hence, majority of the high
school-aged children go to the nearest Masigla National High
School located in the neighboring barangay.Barangay Liw- Liwa
has one (1) active health center with 13 health workers and
nutrition scholars. It caters to the community's needs on health
and constantly conducts medical missions in partnership with
private institutions.
GENDER Majority of the barangay's male population engage in
construction-related works while women, mostly unemployed,
engage in small economic activities such as putting up of small
convenience stores or "sari - sari stores", vending of fruits,
vegetables, meats and other cooked food, poultry and hog
raising.
Analysis of the Profile of Barangay Liw- Liwa
The situation of Barangay Liw- Liwa shares some similarities to that of the situation of
the Philippines as a nation. Same as what the national government has been saying in its reports
on economic growth due to local and foreign capitalists' investments, Barangay Liw- Liwa also
presented that the economic growth of the barangay reflects the fast-rising developments of
many subdivisions, golf clubs and resorts that have provided employment opportunities to many
local residents. However, these employment opportunities have not been felt significantly by
many residents since wages are way too small than the daily expenses incurred to satisfy the
needs of the entire household.On the political side, patronage to politicians coming from the
Cabal family has widely dominated the local political sphere in the previous years. This political
situation is not a new picture of how politics play.
In national politics, much wealthier and more established names in politics and business
have dominated seats in power. On local peace and order, common crimes recorded in the
barangay are also similar to that of the most common reported crimes in the national scale.
Robbery, which is oftentimes linked to poverty, remains to be one of the most common crimes
committed elsewhere in the country.This is supported by the data from the Philippine National
Police that records more than 10,000 cases of robbery just in the first quarter of this
year.Accessibility and lack of educational facilities is a problem both experienced in Barangay
Liw- Liwa and in the national level. Due to the continuous rise in population, demands for
additional educational facilities and improvement in major access points have been a constant
call.To sum it all up, the barangay, as the smallest political unit of the country, influences or
reflects the general situation of the country as a whole, in the same way as the developments and
difficulties experienced in the national scale is felt by the ordinary citizens at the villages.
References:Barangay Communal Profile- Retrieved August
2014Inquirer.net report on PNP Crime Index
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Phi p e Soc Re l i an Soc Wel
Mar n G. Dec , M
