“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa DSWD dahil sa pagkakataong binigay nila sa amin upang paunlarin ang aming mga sarili. Sobrang saya namin sapagkat kabilang kami sa mga programa at proyektong isinasakatuparan ng gobyerno. Gagamitin namin ang lahat ng aming mga natutunan upang mapalago ang aming pamumuhay (I am thankful to DSWD for the opportunity to improve ourselves. We are glad that we are part of the government’s programs and projects. We will be using the knowledge and skills that we have gained to improve our lives)” Faustino family from Parañaque City expressed.
Faustino family, beneficiary of Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families (MCCT-HSF), participated in the Family Camp held recently. Moreover, they also shared that from the support they have received from DSWD, they have consistently paid rent for their house for two years now.
The camping is an annual event being organized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR) which aims to provide the street children and their families with safer venue to hone their social skills, provide therapeutic and development activities and package of family enrichment sessions.
This is also a strategy to assess potential beneficiaries for the MCCT and orient them about the program.
Children namely: Mark Paminiano and Jessalyn Diceo said, “Salamat po dahil nakatulog at nakakain po kami ng maayos kasama ang aming mga pamilya. Marami po kaming natutunan at nagkaroon po kami ng maraming kaibigan. Sobrang nag-enjoy po kami (Thank you because we slept and ate well together with our family. We have learned many things and met new friends. We really enjoyed it).”
Designed towards the physical and psychosocial development of the street children and their families, the activity also included basic literacy and character building sessions to bring positive changes among street families in terms of family values and family relationships. Likewise, it also served as venue for children and their families to harness their talents in sports, arts, and music.
To date, a total of 2,479 homeless street families were served under MCCT-HSF program in NCR, with 1,738 families reached under the Comprehensive Program for Street Families and Sama Bajaus. ###