Union Raise Alarm Over Forced Transfer of Golden Acres Residents And Employees

April 27, 2010

References: Mon Loza, National President, SWEAP-DSWD, Mob.Phone No. 09209381014
Manny Baclagon, Spokesperson, Mob.Phone No. 09065798359

The national union of the employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) today raised their concerns over the on-going transfer of the Golden Acres, its resident lolos and lolas, the staff and employees to Tanay, Rizal. Last April 16, the DSWD started to transfer 29 elderly residents and 8 contract of service workers from the Golden Acres Home for the Aged in Bago Bantay, Quezon City (at the back of SM North) to the newly built Haven for the Elderly in Tanay, Rizal (beside Camp Capinpin).

In a noontime rally held in front of the DSWD office in Batasan, Quezon City, leaders of the Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines (SWEAP) from the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao said they are deeply saddened and angered about the lack of concern shown by DSWD officials. The SWEAP thinks that the transfer to Tanay was made in haste.

“The Haven’s electricity and water sources are still temporary. Its fences are incomplete. There are no telephone connection and no stand-by ambulance available yet at the time of the transfer. It’s ground is overly bare from trees and other greeneries making it so hot for the residents to go outside of their cottages.

Despite SWEAP’s protest and petitions, the DSWD Management persisted to proceed with the transfer saying the plan is already fixed with Vice President Noli de Castro attending its inauguration this April 28. They plan to transfer the second batch of elderly resident and staff from Golden Acres on April 27 so that the Vice President would have an audience for the opening ceremony of the new haven for the elderly. Meanwhile, the GA is to be deactivated”, Mon Loza, SWEAP National President said.

“Our fellow employees shall either be forced to relocate in Tanay or be burdened with additional costs for transportation. Those who do not approve shall be forced to retire or resign. In fact, they were already made to sign the documents effectively transfering their plantilla positions to DSWD Region 4 which includes Tanay. Secretary Celia C. Yangco has yet to address these concerns”, the leader added.

The Golden Acres (GA) is one of the three (3) residential care facilities of the DSWD for neglected and abandoned older persons (aged 60 years old and above). The other two facilities are in Tagum City (Region XI) and Zamboanga City (Region IX) in Mindanao. These facilities serve as a residential home addressing the various needs of elderly residents to ensure their health and well-being. Social workers and house parents work on shifts to attend to the elders' needs. At least 50 regular employees and 20 contract of service workers are affected by the transfer. The union have been protesting this transfer and closure of the Golden Acres in Quezon City since 2007.

“We are not against the setting-up of an additional facility in Tanay. However, we strongly oppose the closure of the Golden Acres which has been serving an average of at least 300 lolos and lolas every year and the forcible transfer of employees”, Loza stressed.

The SWEAP said they already lost hope with the present administration given its track record on social welfare and is looking forward to the next administration to save Golden Acres from deactivation and prioritize welfare services.

“The Arroyo administration’s track record is dismaying. The brutal slaying of Welfare Attache Finard Cabilao is yet to be solved, the institutions and centers of the DSWD are being privatized, and the rank and file employees who are actually the cause for the high trust-ratings of the DSWD and who are the ones actually serving the neglected of our society and are themselves being neglected by our own officials”