Pantawid Pamilya holds Regional Children’s Congress

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 29 – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region is holding a Regional Children’s Congress and Awarding of Winners for the Search for Exemplary Children of Pantawid Pamilya starting today until Friday (Oct. 29-31) at Grand Menseng Hotel.

The Regional Children’s Congress gathers 10-14 year old children from all cities and municipalities in Davao Region, aiming to discuss pressing issues/concerns that directly affect children beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Program.

The three-day activity hopes to emphasize to these children the importance of letting their voices be heard on issues affecting them.

Also, the activity intends to form a children’s organization in the region to be named as “Hugpong sa mga Kabataan sa Pantawid Pamilya sa Onse Batok sa Kawad-on” with the selected children participants from each province acting as primary advocates.

The DSWD-11 tapped Kamalayan Development Foundation headed by Ms. Eliza Apit to ensure that the activities conducted will be relevant to the children beneficiaries.

Moreover, the Exemplary Children of Pantawid Pamilya will be recognized during the event.

The annual search that started in 2012 is a competition open to Pantawid Pamilya children beneficiaries whose age is from 10 to 18 years old by September 2014.

The children must be: enrolled in school, compliant to the school attendance requirement of the program, with good scholastic standing, fully-immunized and dewormed twice in 2013 (for children 6-14 years old).

Children-nominees must also possess the following qualities/characteristics: active in extra-curricular activities (e.g., contests, quiz bees, production of school paper, school organization activities); active in community activities (e.g., Sangguniang Kabataan, community/ church chorale, student catechism); and talented (i.e., has awards/recognition in competitions like singing, dancing, sports, essay writing, poster making, arts, among others).

Other criteria include: with good moral character; have no indicator of behavior problems; aware of good nutrition and eats nutritious food; and conversant on the conditionalities of the program.

The regional winner will receive Php 20,000 in cash, while the provincial winners will receive Php 10,000 each.

Provincial entries for this year’s search are: Khrezia Jane Barraca of Monkayo, Compostela Valley; Joebel Hilario of Braulio E Dujali, Davao del Norte; Keneth Hibaya of Mati City, Davao Oriental; Reymond Bañados of Davao City and Alejandro Teogangco of Kiblawan, Davao del Sur.

Pantawid Pamilya has been keeping children in school and families healthy since its onset in 2008. At present, Davao Region has 207,000 household beneficiaries in all four provinces, six cities and 43 municipalities. (DSWD-11/Sheryll Jane S. Fernandez)