RP promoting family rights, Cabral tells Asian forum

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is finding ways to protect and strengthen Filipino families especially in the face of the global financial meltdown, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said. Cabral stressed this at the recently concluded 3rd East Asian Ministerial Forum on Families (EAMFF) in Bali, Indonesia, where she headed the Philippine delegation. An article on the Social Welfare Department website (www.dswd.gov.ph) Wednesday said Cabral reported on government efforts to protect the Filipino family and strengthen its resiliency in the face of worsening worldwide social and economic difficulties. She said the Philippines remains steadfast in pursuing the implementation of the National Decade Plan for Filipino Family (NDPFF). This includes family-oriented programs being implemented with support of local government units, non-government organizations and other government agencies at the national and local levels. Programs outlined in the Decade Plan aim to achieve 10 goals by the year 2015. These goals are to strengthen family relationships and values; improve family access to goods, services and infrastructure; expand financial resources of poor families; and empower families for nation-building. Other goals are to develop family-friendly environment; coordinate and provide effective synergy for various institutions serving the family; enhance institutional capabilities; strengthen policy and research foundations of service to the family; and mobilize additional resources for services to the family. Cabral also said the country has embarked on the conditional cash transfer program dubbed Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which provides cash grants to poor families. The 4Ps promotes human capacity development among poor families especially children in order to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty; and encourages parents participation in the proper development of their children. - GMANews.TV