ILOILO — The Iloilo Provincial Government has poured nearly P200 million into the establishment of Family and Youth Development Centers, making the facilities a centerpiece of its drive to strengthen families and provide communities with better access to programs and support services.
In just two and a half years, 31 Family and Youth Development Centers are already underway or under construction across the province, with three facilities in Igbaras, Lemery and Batad already inaugurated.
The scale of the investment was highlighted during the first Responsible Parenthood and Family Development Summit organized by the provincial government through the Provincial Population Office (PPO) on Tuesday, August 18.
More than 200 social workers, health personnel, population officers, local officials and other stakeholders representing Iloilo’s 43 local government units participated in the summit themed “Bridging Gaps, Building Futures.”
PPO head Atty. Ruel Von Superio said strengthening families is crucial to building a progressive, peaceful, compassionate and resilient society, stressing that every generation begins with the family.
“We are not here simply because we are mandated by our government to implement a program, but because families matter. We are here because the decisions made by couples today can shape the lives of children tomorrow. And we are here because each of us has a role to play in building families that are prepared, informed, responsible, resilient, and empowered,” Superio said.
He stressed that the future of families must be deliberately built through informed decisions, preparation, communication, mutual respect and shared responsibility, as well as access to knowledge, services and support.
Among the provincial government’s interventions is the Pre-Marriage Orientation and Counseling (PMOC) Program under the PPO, which prepares couples before they are issued marriage licenses.
Superio, however, acknowledged that government still faces significant challenges in ensuring that families have adequate access to information, guidance and services.
“We likewise recognize that there are still gaps to bridge. There are still challenges to address. There are still families who need greater access to information, services, guidance, and support. And that is precisely why we are here today,” Superio said.
He emphasized that strengthening families cannot be accomplished by a single government office and requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-community approach involving social workers, health personnel and other stakeholders.
“Let this be a space for meaningful conversations. For honest reflections. For new ideas. And, most importantly, for renewed commitment. Because when our agencies work together, we build a stronger family support system, and we build a stronger Province of Iloilo,” he added.
Meanwhile, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., who attended the summit, sought the participants’ support for the provincial government’s planned rollout of the PRIME Helpline, which will provide primary counseling and interventions on social media management for children in schools and communities.
“So we will do it. This time for social management sang aton nga kabataan. And hopefully kamo gihapon ang upod namon, we will look to you for help when we are about to do that. Maybe we want to happen in the early part of September or in latter part of August. So, we will again seek your help,” Defensor said.
The governor said the province is also exploring a partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to help educate children on responsible social media use amid concerns that social media may contribute to mental health problems and bullying among young people.
The summit also brought in resource speakers to strengthen participants’ knowledge on responsible parenthood, marriage, family relationships and emotional resilience.
Retired Regional Trial Court Family Court Judge Globert Justalero discussed “Understanding the Family Code of the Philippines: The Legal Foundation of Marriage,” while Dr. Diane Cacho of the Tawili Foundation for Social and Educational Development, Inc. tackled “Strong Families, Brighter Futures: Promoting Responsible Parenthood and Healthy Family Relationships.”
Don Sasu, Project Development Officer II and PRIME focal person of the Office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer, discussed “Building Emotionally Resilient Families: An Introduction to ‘PRIME’ Helpline.”/PN
