A PROFESSOR from the University of the Philippines Open University received the Meritorious Service Award from the Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc. Batangas Chapter.

Dr. Finaflor Taylan was recognized for her contributions “making the social work profession become of better service to the marginalized and disadvantaged sectors.”

Taylan was lauded for offering free webinars to the public on social work and development topics, free psychosocial support during the pandemic, participation in the discussions on the revision of Social Work laws, development of practice standards and areas of specialization for advanced Social Work practice in the Philippines and drafting of the Asia -Pacific amplified definition of Social Work, UP-OU said.

Taylan is the program head of the Diploma and Master of Social Work of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies. She also serves as the director of the Office of Gender Concerns of UPOU.

She is also the vice president of the National Association for Social Work Education, Inc. and was recently elected as head of the Asian Association of Women’s Studies.

Taylan has been a social worker for almost 20 years and has been a faculty of UPOU for 11 years teaching Social Work and Gender courses.

In 2020, she was given the Community Service Award by the University of Southern Queensland for her volunteer work for the community.