DSWD leads PHL celebration of 2016 International Day of Families

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=1&rid=885452
• Sunday, May 15, 2016

By Leilani S. Junio [(PNA), SCS/LSJ]

MANILA, May 15 (PNA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) led the Philippine celebration of the 2016 International Day of Families (IDF) at SM North EDSA Skydome in Quezon City on Sunday.

IDF is observed annually every May 15 based on the 1993 Resolution of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. It is in recognition of the crucial role that families play in ensuring the well-being of their members, educating and socializing children and youth, and caring for the young and old.

DSWD is the chair of the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF) which conducts every year activities aimed at strengthening Filipino families, both locally and worldwide.

The conduct of the Philippine celebration is in line with what is stated in the Constitution that recognizes family as the foundation of the nation.

NCFF is composed of the following agencies and organizations: National Youth Commission (NYC); Department of Agriculture (DA); Department of Education (DepEd); Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); Department of Health (DOH); National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF); Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and different civil society organizations.

NCFF was created by Executive Order No. 238 signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sept. 22, 2003.

As chair of NCFF, DSWD spearheads the conduct of national family forums every year to gather together advocates to discuss and ponder emerging issues, trends and problems affecting typical Filipino families in modern times.

It also awards outstanding families or "Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya" as part of pushing the advocacy to create united and closely-knitted families that are also “models” as they contribute various efforts in building their communities.

The IDF celebration also aims to inspire every family to become better members not only of a family but also of society.

According to DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman, it is important that there is adequate assistance provided for families, especially the poor, to strengthen them.

“That is why we, at DSWD, and partners from the national government, together with the local government units, are helping each other in the delivery of services under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps),” she said.

Secretary Soliman also said that in the delivery of such services, they are focusing on the main goal of the program — investing on the health and education of children through cash grants.

“Hindi lang po pansin, kundi tulong, nang sa gayun ay hindi mapabayaan ang kalusugan ng ating mga pamilya,” she said as she emphasized the theme for the celebration this year which is “Families, Healthy Lives, Sustainable Future.”

The DSWD Chief said that such is being done under the program by ensuring that children are visiting the health centers where they are immunized, dewormed and weighed.

In addition, pregnant mothers are also required to visit the health centers for pre- and post-natal check-ups.

As conditions of being enrolled in the 4Ps, children are required to have 85 percent school attendance and their parents also attend the monthly Family Development Session (FDS).

The FDS is a session wherein families, particularly the parents, are given sort of seminars on how they can strengthen their family relationship, be effective family members and useful members of society.

All of these requirements are the ones that qualify them to receive the monthly cash grants under 4Ps and to continue staying in the program.

“We hope that on this day that we celebrate IDF, we are able to bring in to the leaders who are coming in the new administration the importance of keeping the family together,” the DSWD Chief said.

She added that it is important to give ample time and resources in strengthening the Filipino families so that parents need not have to leave or go abroad to earn by ensuring that there are sustainable economic opportunities for them in the country.

Meanwhile, Joy Arsenio, assistant manager of SM City North EDSA, who provided the venue for the celebration, said that SM Super Malls value the work of every unit of the family as they build their malls fitting to what typical Filipino families need to enjoy different harmonious moments and foster strong relationships of families.