Manila is the capital city of the Philippines. In 2007 Metro Manila had a population of 11.553.427 comprising 13% of the national population. Including suburbs in the adjacent provinces (Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) of Greater Manila, the population is around 21 million.
The Asian Social Institute
On the internet I found a list of 11 schools that are offering Social Work Courses in Manila
The Asian Social Institute (ASI) is an Asian Social Science Graduate School of Transformation Praxis toward Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation, as they declare on their website (http://www.asinet-online.org/).
There I had the chance to meet Elsa H. Ruiz, Ph.D., the head of the Master of Science in Social Work and coordinator of the Social Work Education Program.
Elsa H. Ruiz and her collegues explained their social work curriculum to me. They were also interested in my field of work and my curriculum. They knew some European and even Austrian social organizations, since they are collaborating with many organizations all over the world.
The Undergraduate Program is a Second Degree Program, which means that the students have to complete another Bachelor before applying for the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW). The degree is a specialized course offered for three semesters to individuals who are envisioned to be working directly with the grassroots. The focus of instruction is in strengthening the philosophical base and in developing among the students the commitment as well as the skills to work with the marginalized groups on a partnership level.
The Graduate Program is designed for the formation of individuals committed to relevant social change and willing to intervene in social problems related to the functioning of multi level human systems. It develops in the student a strong sense of commitment to the profession and the people being served through the internalization of the basic philosophy and the ethical components of social work practice. It aims at providing students with adequate knowledge and skills in the areas of administration, research, supervision, education, and social planning, to make them effective and relevant partners in meeting the multiplicity of problems inherent in a rapidly changing world.
