PHILIPPINES – More than 70 percent of the world population is not adequately covered by social protection and only 27 percent enjoys access to comprehensive social security, according to the latest report by the International Labor Organization (ILO).This means that about three quarters of mankind worldwide are living without adequate security against individual risks like disease, accident, motherhood, old age and death. Lack of social security leads to catastrophic consequences on macroeconomic costs and economic growth, and the rising health care cost will continue to push more people into poverty.
While developed countries are consolidating their social protection systems, many low and middle-income countries on the other hand are trying hard to expand their coverage. Although in many instances, it is still inadequate, fragmented and steeped with inefficiencies.
Ms. Joanna Romero, a human resource and organization development expert, and an ISPS scholar designed an appreciation course, Social Protection 101, utilizing policy advocacy as an important program planning tool to address issues that stems from a lack of understanding of the basic concepts and importance of social security from both ethical and economic perspectives.
Among the first recipients of the course is the University of the Philippines – Los Baños chapter of Circle K Club International, a student-managed socio-civic and volunteer organization focusing on child welfare. The participants had a day of lecture and workshop session covering basic concepts, actors and means/tools of social protection, including cross-country practices as case studies for identifying strengths and areas for improvement of existing programs. The course also includes a module on the dynamics and challenges, and role of public and private organizations, and the civil society aimed at bridging theories with practical steps the organization can take to mainstream social protection initiatives into their programs.
“It was a worthwhile experience. [Now] I’ve learned what social protection and security really is…I felt that I should [be an agent] of change to my community and the Filipino society,” says one of the student-participant. This is just one of the many responses that may validate the huge potential use of the course as an advocacy tool. The goal is to build on the passion and social commitment of these young leaders in the hope of raising the next generation of advocates and developing a community of practitioners of social protection in the country, who could be instrumental in pushing for a more inclusive social protection agenda whether on a local or national scale. FXF
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