At least 600 volunteers from different civil society organizations (CSOs) have partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in strengthening poor families in the CALABARZON Region. The said volunteers have committed to help in the conduct of the monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS) for the parent-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The FDS, a component of the Pantawid Pamilya program, equips the parent-beneficiaries with knowledge and skills to make them more responsive in meeting the needs of their family, especially that of their children. Topics discussed during these sessions include husband-wife relationship, rights of children and basic financial management.

Because of the number of program-beneficiaries that need to be served, the DSWD is continuously tapping CSOs to help in the conduct of these sessions particularly on the topics that are within their fields of expertise.

Currently, there are 32 CSOs engaged in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilya program, 15 of them have formal partnerships with the Department. Among them are Bethsaida CBR Services for the Disabled Inc., iHelp, Community Builders, Advancers & Partners – Cavite Ministries, Inc. and United Pastors Council.

According to Ms. Merlita Perez, a trained FDS facilitator from Biñan Faith Christian Church, the training helped them effectively conduct the sessions to ensure that the goal of the FDS for the beneficiaries of the program will be met.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a human development program that invests on the health and education of children zero to 18 years old. Qualified poor families are provided with cash subsidies in exchange for their compliance to the set conditions of the program.

To date, there are more than 300,000 households who are beneficiaries of the said program in the CALABARZON Region.with reports from MADiaz***