Upholding the importance of family in gender and development programs will spell the difference in ensuring equality, according to an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“We have enhanced the content of the family development session (FDS) and we use that to capacitate the members of the family. We continue to enhance the content with the inclusion of gender and development in the topics,” Janet Armas, DSWD Assistant Secretary for Standards and Capacity Building Group, said on the sidelines of the National Women’s Month closing program here Friday.

Armas headed the DSWD Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in 2020 after being the agency director in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

She said that new laws on gender and development, violence against women and children, and other new legislations related to the sector are being taught during FDS sessions, which aim to strengthen family ties as they improve their financial condition with government help.

“It did not come from us in the DSWD, but the testimonies of the beneficiaries who said that the session (FDS) is helping them aside from the money they get from the program. Dito nila natututunan paano ba ang (Here they learn about) relationships, how to prevent abuses and knowing the other interventions they can avail of as women as members of the community relationships, how to prevent abuses and other available intervention,” she added.

4Ps beneficiary Beverly Sacyaten of Asin Barangay here, said that from being a timid woman, her appointment as a parent leader improved her confidence.

The FDS is provided not just by the DSWD but other government agencies and the private sector groups and organizations that help motivate families to become better members of the community.

Armas, who rose from the ranks in the DSWD, said she used to visit the communities in the Cordillera and has seen the difference in the communities.

“When I went to the provinces, I saw how they have become empowered. Women now speak up and they say what is in their mind,” the executive said.

As a full-blooded member of the Indigenous Peoples group belonging to the Kalanguya and Kankanaey Tribe of Tinoc, Ifugao, Armas said women village-mates used to be very reserved.

“In my community, women do not talk because if they do, they can be tagged as feminist or leftists and they do not want that. But now, I am happy to see them joining organizations and attending meeting as relevant members that gives them confidence to take care of themselves and their family members,” she said.

There are at least 56,000 Cordillera household beneficiaries required to attend FDS sessions. (PNA)