Family advocates in Dumaguete City highlighted the crucial role of families in adapting to modern societal challenges, with a focus on community collaboration and resilience-building.
In a Kapihan sa PIA forum, Department of Education Dumaguete City Division education program supervisor for GMRC and values education, Dr. Noel Bayno, emphasized the shared responsibility in molding children.
Bayno said that shaping future leaders requires collaboration between schools, parents, and the community.
“It takes a village to educate a child. No man is an island,” Bayno stressed.
He detailed key DepEd programs, including the ‘Dumaguete Cares’, an online platform that offers mental health support and career guidance to students, as well as ‘Project Seeds,’ which encourages students to engage in organic gardening at home and school for sustainability and entrepreneurship.
Bayno also emphasized the reintroduction of Good Manners & Right Conduct in schools, underscoring the importance of instilling values at an early age.
He noted the challenges posed by modern technology, particularly the distractions caused by excessive cellphone use among students, and called for a holistic approach to their education.
The Kapihan tackled this year’s theme of the National Filipino Family Week, Families Responding to the Changes of Time.
The forum brought together leaders from various sectors from DepEd, Philippine National Police, Philippine Mental Health Association, and Couples for Christ who shared their insights and programs aimed at strengthening family and community ties.
Dumaguete City Deputy Chief of Police Maj. Fortunato Villafuerte, shared the PNP’s initiatives focusing on crime prevention and raising awareness about illegal drugs, violence against women and children (VAWC), and other issues.
Villafuerte pointed out that family dysfunction, especially broken families, contributes significantly to youth involvement in crime.
PNP also holds lectures on anti-illegal drugs and children’s rights in schools, aiming to guide the youth before they fall into delinquency.
He shared his own experiences, stressing the importance of open communication within families to prevent misunderstandings that could lead to broken homes.
“Open communication is essential to understand the needs and concerns of children. If the family is strong, children are less likely to engage in crime,” he said.
In the same forum, PMHA Negros Oriental Chapter executive manager Jude Mae Pinero discussed the significance of mental health in family dynamics.
She stressed the importance of communication and respect within families, promoting mental wellness and healthy relationships.
Pinero outlined PMHA’s two-fold program on education, information, and clinical services like counseling and assessments.
“You cannot give what you don’t have. Understanding others begins with understanding yourself,” said Pinero.
Pinero called for more mental health support in schools and families, especially as many children face issues related to parental relationships and self-worth.
CFC provincial area director Engr. Emeterio Busmeon, provincial area director of CFC discussed the CFC’s Building the Church of the Home and Church of the Poor program, which strengthens relationships within families.
He highlighted CFC’s initiatives to support couples and families through workshops, retreats, and community outreach programs aimed at the “least, the last, and the lost.”
Busmeon cited their focus on youth, single parents, and widows with specialized programs that provide spiritual and practical guidance.
He also cited on their ANGKOP (Answering the Cry Of the Poor) initiative, which currently sponsors 22 scholars in the region.
“Our mission is to build strong families who can contribute to the community and the church,” Busmeon said.
The panelists called on the government, education, law enforcement, and religious sectors to work together in ensuring that families are equipped to navigate the changes of modern society. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from Jonah Grace Nicolas, NORSU Intern)
