Posted on

(Above): DSWD SWO III, Ofelia Pagay talks on Responsible Parenthood during the symposium held at Andres Yu Memorial Hall, Alang-Alang Leyte last August 8, 2012; (Below): Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries actively participates during the open forum.A regionally-initiated celebration on the Family Planning Month of the Department of Health’s Commission on Population (PopCom) kicked off yesterday, August 8, 2012, via a caravan from Palo Government Center to the municipality of Alang-Alang, Leyte. Some one hundred beneficiary-couples of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) from the said municipality attended the symposium which followed after the caravan.

With the year’s theme “Responsabling Pamilya: Ngayon Na!”, the DSWD was invited to talk on Responsible Parenthood: A Road Out of Poverty. Ofelia Pagay, Social Welfare Officer III, Focal Person of Convergence Strategy on Poverty Reduction Programs of the DSWD regional office, discussed on how Responsible Parenthood correlates in the compliance of the conditionalities in the Pantawid Pamilya Program. Pagay reiterated that being responsible parents means providing a better future for the next generation, and breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty.

PopCom Regional Director Leo Rama also shared that in the year 1970, it was noted that the average number of children per family is seven, with the 37 million population in the Philippines. For this year, however, it was noted that with the 97 million population, the average number of children per family decreased to 3.3 because of Family Planning and Responsible Parenthood. Rama added the key elements for being responsible parents is having the capacity and skills in rearing children, and providing them education to become responsible parents in the future.

Through an open forum, the beneficiaries apparently learned the idea of what’s being advocated by the theme. The said beneficiaries are from the barangays of Sto. Niño, P-Barantes, San Diego, Binogtoan, Blumentrit, San Antonio, Poblacion Lourdes, Mudburon, Milagrosa, Salvacion and San Roque.

The event was hosted by the municipality of Alang-Alang, attended by the Sangguniang Bayan members of the said town and other national government agencies of the region.