He believes in the saying that, “Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.”

More than a decade in service, he has worked at the DSWD Field Office Caraga under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as a Municipal Link for 10 years. In his 11th year in the Program, he was promoted as the Provincial Grievance Officer (PGO) of Provincial Operations Office (POO) Surigao del Sur.

Mr. Orson Cris Toral is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) by profession and RA 1080 eligible. Throughout his journey in the agency as a 4Ps staff, he was able to provide “maagap at may malasakit na serbisyo” to both walk-in clients, and those in the community, significantly contributing to achievement of the organizational outcome of the Department.

When Mr. Toral was promoted as the PGO in 2019, the work performance he showed in monitoring the misbehavior cases in Cash card pawning was notable. To him, the strengthened monitoring will focus on identifying who are involved in such action to be provided with case management intervention.

He believes that the inaccessibility of cash card due to pawning will later result to non-compliance in the Program. With this, he was able to validate 274 beneficiaries involved. All of them were invited to a focus group discussion (FGD) to identify the major causes of pawning, and develop an intervention plan and control measure through the POO.

Aside from the issuance of approved Provincial Ordinance No. 3317 last June 13, 2017, otherwise known as an “Ordinance Prohibiting Government Officials, Employees and Private Individual/Groups and Local Businesses or Corporation in accepting Pantawid Pamilya Documents and Cash Card as Loan Collateral,” Mr. Toral has also ensured that the effort against cash card pawning is strengthened, intensified and sustained.

Together with the Cluster Grievance Officers, they lobbied for the Resolution on the Creation of Barangay Grievance Committee for immediate settlement and enforcement of cash card pawning cases, and other complaints in their jurisdiction.  Due to strengthened enforcement of provincial ordinance at the barangay level, and the support of the community in reporting the case, there is an increase number of cash card pawning in the area that was recorded and provided with resolution.

Furthermore, during his first year as the PGO, he was able to facilitate and oversee the conduct of joint Provincial/Municipal Convergence Advisory field visit at Cortes, Surigao del Sur. The said activity aimed to address the four (4) areas of concern in line with the implementation of the Program, and intervention to Social Welfare Development Indicator gaps, such as the following:

• Access to Social Security/Insurance in partnership with SSS, Redcross, and Philhealth
• Health, Sanitation and Nutrition in partnership with DOH, PHO and MHO.
• Access to Education in partnership with DEpEd, TESDA, LCR and Planning Officer and Validation of Cash Card Pawning with LGU Officials and PNP

Mr. Toral went beyond his job description as a PGO by providing his expertise in Gender Responsive Case Management to City/Municipal Links last October 29, 2019 in Butuan City.

He also provided his expertise to partner agencies like the Department of Education during the conduct of Brigada Eskwela, and discussed the Rights of the Child at Sto. Nino Elementary School. He is also in full support of the Bata Balik Eskwela (BBE) campaign of the Department, and addressed the number of Pantawid children beneficiaries identified as “Not Attending School (NAS). He is also active in providing youth leadership seminar in partnership with Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office of San Agustin Surigao del Sur.

When the pandemic hit the province, he extended an extra mile to continue providing information through radio guesting at Radyo Bandera Tandag City. In the delivery of services of the program like the Family Development Session, he helped with the discussion of R.A. 11310 last July 21, 2020, and discussed the topic on Core System and Program Components last July 23, 2020 for all the 4Ps beneficiaries of Surigao del Sur.

He can articulate the programs and services to the clients and partners in a professional manner. He exerted more efforts in building rapport by being available when stakeholders need help or attendance to activity/meeting from partner agencies and being active listener.

Mr. Toral exhibits good communication skills, collaboration and maintaining professional relationship to Program stakeholders and partner beneficiaries. When confronted with issues and concerns, he dealt with it professionally with willingness to provide answers. He regularly provides feedbacking to the team, and supervisor (Provincial Link Officer Neda Barrios) for consultation.

To further support his growth as a professional, he was able to enroll Masters in Social Work major in Advance Direct Practice at the University of Mindanao in the year 2012 and earn 27 units. The learnings he gained was applied in his work as a Municipal Link and as a PGO. He was able to build confidence and credibility in his workplace.

When asked of his future plans, he wants to pursue his Master’s Degree in Social Work Program within 2021-2024 timeline.

Truly, after virtually hearing, “At ang nagwagi bilang Best Social Worker – Community-Based ay si Orson Toral ng Field Office Caraga! Ang aming pagbati sa’yo Orson,” he cannot hide his joyous smile. Working beyong his job description, Orson deserves to be awarded as the national winner of the PRAISE 2021 Best Community-based Social Worker of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

DSWD Field Office Caraga is proud of you. Congratulations, Orson! ###(Social Marketing Section/DSWD Field Office Caraga)