Social Work and Act of Kindness

Today I did social work for a construction worker who is an elementary graduate secure a valid government ID.

His roots are in San Jose Occidental Mindoro and has been working for about 5 years without an ID except for an expired postal ID and an NBI clearance. There was a major hitch though, he is an illegitimate child and been using his unknown fathers' surname since then.

The worker who asked for my help while we were on our way to NSO's East Venue office (as we were both mistaken that their office was still in Pureza) laid down his situation: no ID has bothered him since 5 years ago, he took a leave today to see what can be done, he is lost as to the processes, he has an NSO certified birth certificate, he has SSS, Philhealth, PAGIBIG accounts but does not have the membership numbers, he dreads traveling to San Jose without a clear and guaranteed plan.

5 years ago, he had his birth certificate corrected at the City Registrar in San Jose so he can present the required document at the SSS office in Guadelupe. The frontliner then found his document defective which disillussioned him. Since then he has not acted on getting the correct advice until now.

His lack of a valid ID was a deterrent for him to enrol in advanced vocational certification courses, send money, apply for a loan, travel by boat, exercise suffrage, drive his company issued motorcycle and open a bank account.

He was not aware that he asked a process mapping expert for both private and government bureaucratic firms willing to help the marginalized welcoming trouble shooting and problem solving.
I presented the necessary and important steps and coached him on how to face the government frontliners. He agreed.

From Pureza, we went to SSS East Avenue, NBI Center in QC Hall and government centers in Ali Mall. From 11AM to about 6PM, the cross he was carrying for about 5 years was finally taken out.
He was pleased to see validated that his company has been religiously remitting SSS, Philhealth and PAGIBIG contributions. Relieved that his official name can be corrected. And with IDs for processing, they can vouch now for his identity.

I was fulfilled, I was able to help him foregoing momentarily my own agenda. I was touched when he told me that when he gets his Php 536.00 minimum wage pay, he will buy me lunch at Jollibee someday.

Kindness and service orientation of civil servants made the accomplishments possible: the E-online staff at SSS who diagnosed the situation, the respectful lady at the Amendment counter who referred him to the proper authorities, the lawyer who patiently listened to formulate the salaysay, the baggage staff at QC library who checked if late processing can be accommodated, the OJT staff who operated the online registration as the applicant was not computer literate, the PAGIBIG staff who drew the necessary steps,  the PhilHealth lady who recognized the mutilated, expired NBI clearance as as ID resulting in the issuance of a PhilHealth green ID, the LTO staff who was closing the steel gate yet answered all queries on the steps the applicant needed to go through.

Grabbed from Phil Star

This Wednesday afternoon, it was like the gates opened for the good angels to guide the hardworking and industrious applicant who can now dream of raising his family now that the biggest obstacle to move on, a valid ID with his corrected name has been addressed. "Ang daming naayos sir ng kalahating araw dahil sa iyo na sa tantsa ko, ilang buwan ko magagawa." "Nakatulong lang" was my modest reply.

This chance encounter provided me an opportunity to test servant leadership. I was more than pleased that even outside of a corporate structure, I was able to.