Monday, September 22, 2008 Family week focuses on fathers
THE role of the fathers in strengthening Filipino families will be this year’s focus in the celebration of the Family Week on Sept. 22 to 26.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 said this year’s theme is “Fathers and Families: Responsibilities and Challenges.”
A regional inter-agency committee was recently formed with DSWD as the coordinator. The committee is composed of representatives from the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, the media, nongovernment organizations (NGOs) serving families, particularly those handling women and children as well as Parents-Teachers Association representatives and the religious sector.
The committee is urging all government agencies, NGOs, people’s organizations, socio-civic groups and other religious organizations, the business sector and the rest of the members of the civil society to undertake family development activities.
Among the suggested activities are the giving of recognition or awards to model families in the barangay setting, forum for fathers, mass for employees and their families, round table conference on issues affecting families, guestings in radio and TV programs, lectures on effective parenting, parent education congress, Kapihan Media Forum and Adopt-a-Family project.
It was former president Fidel V. Ramos who declared every last week of September as Family Week in Presidential Decree 60.
This was further supported by Presidential Proclamation 487 declaring the fourth Sunday of September as Family Thanksgiving Day.
