Name:  MONALIZA Q. REYES, R.S.W

Position: Country Officer

Location:  Manila Philippines

Mission: To ensure the delivery of social and health services for children, youth, woman, elderly and the community people.

Assigned areas:  assigned areas are defined with the chairman of SCL. Assigned areas are among depressed areas in Metro Manila

E-mail: monaliza@savechildrenlife.org

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ADMINISTRATIVE WORK

Daily Routine:

1. Ensure to respond email and be able to address specific concerns, issues, requests, and inquiries from SCL colleagues at the International/Local Offices and among partners and others.

2. Ensure all report are accurately done

3. Perform other duties and responsibilities directed by the Chairman of Save Children’s Life

 FIELD WORK

1. Willing to travel within the country for on site visit to meet partners and beneficiaries.

2. Exhibit good interpersonal skills to effectively engage cross-functionally within the country offices (Manila-Cebu-Mindanao) and with International colleagues and be able to be well informed and updated on their activities.

3. To engage and make appointments with potential partners. 

NETWORKING

1. Be able to network and interface with different organizations such as government agencies, non-governmental organizations, peoples organization and individuals for mentoring and program delivery. 

COUNSELLING SERVICES

1. Provide information to beneficiaries with regards to administrative, social and health concerns.

2. Facilitate a Referral System if necessary.

3. Conduct follow-up referral or case with individuals and families.

4. Facilitate a counseling services beneficial to woman, youth, children, elderly and people from depressed communities.

INFORMATION EDUCATION CAMPAIGN-I.E.C

1. Conduct Information Education Campaign on Child’s Rights, Women’s Rights and other related laws beneficial to all the best interest affecting their social lives.

2. Conduct Information Education Campaign or Session on Parenting, Reproductive health and other services beneficial for the beneficiaries. 

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACING YOU?

In Metro Manila, specifically in depressed areas like PAYATAS, there are a lot of social issues and challenges that needs to be considered. As I am involved in Social Development Work I have observed the in Payatas, Quezon City, in the world outside the barangay:  Payatas is synonymous to poverty at its most degrading: clusters of men, women and children fanning out atop a mountain of garbage, picking up other people’s garbage to make a living.  All remain keenly aware that hundreds of their relatives, friends and neighbors who were engaged in the exact same rainy-day activities three years earlier were buried alive in the infamous garbage slide of 2000.

      The dumpsite dominates the physical, ecomomic and psychological outlook of the community.  Among the existing issues confronting the lives of the people living in the area : they are exposed, high risk and prone to illness/diseases brought about by the unsafe and unsanitary effect of garbage.  Most of the children living here are exposed and in danger their health much more that they engaged in early labor in which they engage scavenging regularly, this children are also observed as malnourished and unable to fully access the basic social and health services.  Despite this issues many children spend much their time in the dumpsite playing or helping their parents sell plastics.  Although not much is expected from them in terms of contributing to the family income their early exposure to the garbage mountain serves as a means of anticipatory or early socialization toward the kind of life they are likely to lead in few years.  For young and old alike, scavengers whose means of survival centers around on  rubbish collection the mountain of garbage has become a central of their lives.

 

      A number of out-of school youth is at high since they also engage on to the same kind of job and also for women who depend much on the income they earn out of garbage just to survive for a living.  Most of the people who are also living here lack the enough information on where to get assistance when needed. On the other hand they have no means to access the basic services such as health and social services since their knowledge is limited and the worst of they are also trapped into a situation when they are experiencing such illness that they do not have the means to go to hospital since they have no money to pay their bills.  In addition as I have observed many of them are being deprived on their basic rights, as children and women and they don’t even know that such rights exist.

 

      A number of church groups, government agencies and non government organizations try to fill the basic services gap by providing educational assistance, feeding programs, medical care, values awareness and religious training but these barely scratch the surface.  Hence a complement service is very much needed to address the needs and problems of the disadvantaged groups especially those people living in the midst of poverty and being marginalized.

I hope by becoming part of the Save Children’s Life Organization I could do more to help them cope up with their burden and needs by simply providing them a access for basic social and health care, provide and continue to share the necessary information on child’s rights, women’s rights and other related activities that could be beneficial for them.