Butuan City-The Family Development Session (FDS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program helps partner-parent-beneficiaries know their rights.

Mrs. Maribeth Lozada Cagabcab of Barangay Bacolod, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur said that FDS has helped her in knowing her basic rights as a women.

“I am so happy that Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has this kind of monthly session that teaches about our basic rights. Because of it, I have learned more about my legal rights, and it teaches me to act in accordance to my rights,” Mrs. Cagabcab said.

“When I was at my teen-age years, I did not experience to study because my parents cannot afford to send me to school, but through FDS, I have learned so many things that gave me an idea how to be more productive in serving my family and my community as a whole,” Mrs. Cagabcab added.

FDS is a values-oriented component of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. It intends to promote and inculcate positive change in the beneficiaries’ character outlook in life amidst their current situation.

“In the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the development of family is sees very important to give protection and nurturance as well as respond to the growth and education development of young members of the household,” Regional Director Minda B. Brigoli, CESO III said.

“FDS is an important intervention to fulfill the family development thrust of the program as well as strengthen the fulfillment of investing into human capital of families and children 0-18 years old. It serves to strengthen the capacities of family members particularly the parents to become more responsive to the needs of the family and their children,” Dir. Brigoli added.

The Family Development Session is one of the conditions of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. It aims to promote, empower and nurture families towards strengthened capacity to meet familial and parental responsibilities through conduct of community-based family psycho-educational activities for the Pantawid Pamilya household beneficiaries.

It aims to enhance the skills and knowledge of household grantee and parents in responding to their parental roles and responsibilities particularly on the health and nutrition, education and psychological needs of children; promote positive family values; and strengthen marital relationships to promote involvement, participation, volunteerism, and leadership for strengthened community empowerment.