WITH media feeding its audience sensational and inane details about Alice Guo and her alleged criminal involvement and love life, or the screaming and shouting match of two senators of the realm, there is indeed little print space and an even minuscule TV time for real, honest-to-goodness stories that celebrate that which is good in the Filipino.

There is, for instance, the declaration by Malacañang of a shortened work day last Monday. Government employees were allowed to quit working at 3 p.m. to go home earlier than usual to their families, to share dinner together and to talk or physically communicate, a luxury now in the age of cellphones and social media when even family members are alienated from each other. The memorandum circular issued by President Marcos Jr encouraged workers to have a longer family bonding time last September 23, being the start of Family Week celebration.

‘The government’s efforts to fortify the Filipino family should not end in the celebration of Family Week.’

This observance started when then President Fidel V. Ramos issued Proclamation No. 60 in 1992 declaring the fourth week of September as Family Week. Then former President Benigno Aquino III issued Proclamation No. 326 series of 2012, which declared the fourth Monday of September as “Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga” Day.   

This official recognition of the Filipino family has roots from the Constitution, which provides in Article XV, Section 1 that “the State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total development.”

Leading the Family Week celebration is the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which is also the lead agency of the National Committee on the Filipino Family.

Of all the regular activities lined up for the celebration, such as fun run, programs, musical concerts, etc. the DSWD Region 8 training program for recovering drug users and parolees stood out for its relevance and utility. The activity was aimed at reaffirming the male participants’ paternal abilities and responsibilities, and was aptly billed as Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities Training (ERPAT).

The training was held at the municipal hall of Burauen, Leyte and focused on strengthening the fathers’ capabilities and understanding of their roles as heads of their families, to enable them to take an active and equal role in fostering the development of their children and other family members. These reformed heads of families are being helped to become responsible fathers once more.

Anchored on the 2024 Family Week theme, “Pamilyang Tumutugon sa Pagbabago ng Panahon,” the ERPAT program covered topics such as self-awareness, fatherhood roles, relationships, child care, and family spirituality. Through the training, the recovering drug users and parolees were given the opportunity to re-establish themselves as fathers and family members, with the ultimate goal of promoting positive family life.

The government’s efforts to fortify the Filipino family should not end in the celebration of Family Week. It should also extend to providing enough sustainable jobs for Filipinos, so that there would be no need for them to seek better employment abroad, as working away from one’s family has become the most serious threat to family unity.