DSWD7 Holds Series Of Family Camp For Homeless Street Families In Cebu

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII has provided a venue where homeless street families (HSF) spend quality time together, discuss their issues, strengthen family relationship and improve interpersonal communication among the members by conducting series of family camps in Cebu.

The series of family camps for street families started in November 2015 and will end this month covering nine batches with close to 2,000 participants. Representatives from DSWD and Bidlisiw Foundation are the resource speakers and facilitators for the said events. The family camp has been held in Hidden Paradisem Resort, san Fernando, Cebu.

Each family camp runs for three days and is full of fun-filled learning activities where participants, especially the parents or guardians, are expected to know the different concepts and functions of a family, the rights of the child and how to promote acceptance in the family and its members including their corresponding responsibilities, how to strengthen family ties to build memorable experience among family members.

“Participants of the activity mostly live in sidewalks, abandon buildings and cemeteries so the family camp will serve as a venue for the HSF families to bond and spend quality time together since they don’t usually have enough time for each other as they are busy making a living,” said DSWD 7 regional director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre.

Macapobre added that the family camp is also a avenue to help create support systems and build camaraderie among the parents/guardians who are from the same community while the younger siblings will have the chance to play games and enjoy art workshops that will fit with their age level.

“With this opportunity, we hope that the families may come to realize the importance of each member, the purpose of teamwork and unity, and appreciation of the real essence of the family despite the formidable life challenges,” she stressed.

Macapobre is also optimistic that the family camp will help reduce the pressing problem on street dwellers in compliment with DSWD’s implementation of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT).

MCCT covers poor families who were not included in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program because of their mobile lifestyle and indefinite residence.

The MCCT provides assistance to the homeless street families, families in need of special protection and indigenous families, which are not limited to education and health grants, but also include safe and responsive housing assistance with access to social services and economic opportunities for the improvement of their living conditions.

The street families under the MCCT will also receive monthly cash grants for health, education provided that they comply with the modified conditionalities that includes attendance to Family Development Sessions.

Earlier, DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman disclosed that the family camp is a strategy wherein social services will be provided for the street families all throughout the camping period. It will also serve as a venue to strengthen their parental capability.

“The event will let them temporarily forget their everyday struggle on the streets and hopefully experience a real family life,” Secretary Soliman said.

Meanwhile, Shirley Nudalo, 23, together with her family who were able to experience the family camp shared that the activity made her understand the rights of the child and that corporal punishment is wrong.

Shirley who has five kids with her partner Nemecio Quipo, 26, lives along the streets of North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City but is now residing in Barangay Mantoyong after an American couple rented them a house for one year.

“I now feel safe and dignified because my children are sheltered and they don’t get sick more often, unlike our situation before,” she added.

Shirley also grew up as a street child while Nemecio came from a broken family which made him earn a living along the streets Barangay Guizo as a trisikad driver. The couple disclosed that the family camp provided them time to talk and plan for their children’s future.

Yeyet Engaling, 28, also shared that the family camp made her understand what is responsible parenting and what the different kinds of family are. Engaling joined the event with her partner Jover Legaspino and their only child Clyde.

The couple has yet to plan for their wedding because their priority is to own a house.

Moreover, family participant were given hygiene kits, food packs and financial assistance to compensate their daily income. They were housed in Hidden Paradise, San Fernando, Cebu during the entire duration of the family camp. (Phoebe Jen Indino, Pantawid Pamilya Information Officer)