The Department of Social Welfare and Development recently trained a total of 168 implementers/facilitators of the family development sessions among the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the CALABARZON Region.

The training, which was conducted in three batches, was participated by 98 newly-hired Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Municipal Links (ML), 50 LGU Links who are hired by the local government, and 19 staff from different civil society organizations that have a formal agreement with the Department on the conduct of FDS in selected localities.

Family development sessions are monthly neighborhood-based family psycho-educational activities conducted among the beneficiaries of Pantawid. It is an important intervention to fulfill the family development thrusts of the Pantawid Program as it also serves as one of the program conditions that needs to be complied by each family-beneficiary. The conduct of FDS is one of the primary deliverables of the City/Municipal Links and the LGU Links.

According to Ms Bernadette C. Datingaling, the regional training specialist for the Pantawid Program for DSWD Field Office IV-A, the objective of the training is to equip the participants with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude to conduct FDS, including its rationale and concepts as the heart of the Pantawid Program.

Among the topics expected to be discussed by the participants to the family-beneficiaries in their respective areas of assignment are child-rearing, strengthening husband-wife relationship, health and nutrition and basic financial management among others.

Director Leticia T. Diokno of DSWD Field Office IV-A explained that the knowledge the Pantawid beneficiaries would gain from the FDS is expected to enable them improve the well-being of their respective families, including the recognition of roles and responsibilities of each member, even after their tenure with the program. With reports from DIDGuererro***