Marissa Moron Paeste, Social Welfare Officer III of DSWD FOV is among the six social workers who won in the search for Exemplary Government Registered Social Worker engaged in Typhoon Yolanda. Sponsored by Consuelo Foundation and the Council for the Welfare of the Children (CWC), the awarding ceremony was held at Manila Hotel last April 28, 2015.

Recognizing the influx of the survivors of typhoon Yolanda from Samar and Tacloban, the DSWD Field Office V set up the Reception Recovery and Control Center (RRCC) for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Matnog Port from November 16, 2013 to December 6, 2013. Three teams composed of social workers, Municipal Links and MSWDOs were organized with Ms. Marissa Paeste as the over-all team leader.

The RRCC was primarily set up in Matnog Port since this is considered a major gateway of the Maharlika Highway to Luzon providing 24 hours information/services to enter island to detect and address potential trafficking cases thus, a receiving desk was installed within the port parameter visible to the public.

With the leadership of Ms. Paeste, the team initiated various activities like; reaching out to stranded passengers to identify their travels and destinations and with families awaiting them. What is worth mentioning was the team’s effort to respond to a potential child trafficking involving 3 male siblings ages 8, 10 and 17 years old from Allen, Samar. The case happened while Ms. Paeste was on duty. With best effort and right intervention she was able to reunite the children to their respective families.

Her core competency is counseling. This mechanism served as a venue to foster team effort and referral network. It also tested each worker’s patients, resourcefulness and resilience towards delivering appropriate service to typhoon survivors.

All the efforts, activities and strategies done by Ms. Paeste and her competencies contributed to the award bestowed her.

Ms. Paeste shared that receiving the award is a humble experience. The element of being involved especially the pressure of work expected of them, the inconveniences and the number of days that she was away from home was a great factor for the award received.

Other awardees are:
Marsha P. Agustin – NCR
Elsa B. Camacho – Region VI
Zenaida M. Cunanan – Region VIII
Rosalinda A. Orobia – NCR
Marissa M. Paeste – Region V
Alice V. Viason – Region VIII ###eejerusalem