City of San Fernando, Pampanga—Director Roy Calfoforo, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) focal in charge of programs and partnerships with NGOs, said that ‘Philippines became an International model of Family Development Session (FDS) in Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program.’

The Regional Civil Society Organization (CSO) was spearheaded by DSWD last January 29, 2016 at Citybelt, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

The event was conducted in line with the department’s thrust program Active Civil Society Organizations engagement with Bantay, Gabay, Kaagapay at Tulay concept. DSWD recognizes the CSOs as its active partners in successfully implementing the services programs of the department.

One of the biggest roles of the CSOs is being the facilitator in the Family Development Session (FDS) of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Since most of the partner CSOs of the department are faith-based organization, they helped on molding the moral and spiritual being of the program’s beneficiaries.

“Giving them numerous grants is worthless if their [the beneficiaries’] attitude and values would not be developed,” said Dir. Calfoforo. He also recognizes that the CSOs unlike other Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) are functional even without fund source, for they always have their own way of performing deeds. Having cited the importance of the CSOs, they then lobbied their sentiment on transportation allowance, IDs, and uniforms. Dir. Calfoforo responded that such can be resolved on the regional level where the Travel Expense Voucher (TEV) of the CSOs can be included the Financial Workplan of the Regional Office. Ms. Tomasa Lirio, the Program Coordinator of Pantawid in Region III then directly asked for the aid on approving the proposal of the Regional office—that the fund will directly come from the Office of the Secretary, which was nodded upon by Dir. Calfoforo. She also reminded the CSOs to use the supposed IDs and uniforms only during session facilitation, in case, which was agreed upon by the CSOs.

The assemblage ended with the presentation of the CSOs Work Plans per province that will serve as a basis on the consolidation of the Regional Work Plan for 2016, which was followed by the signing of the Renewal of Commitments of the CSO members. ### (Andyleen C. Feje)