Friday, September 09, 2005

Aklan Provincial Government Puts Family First

By: Beverly L. Tropa

The Provincial Government of Aklan, headed by Gov. Carlito S. Marquez, with Vice – Governor Ronquillo C. Tolentino and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, conducted a Pre – Marriage Counselors (PMC) Trainers’ Training recently. It was held at the Governor Corazon L. Cabagnot Memorial Tourism and Training Center, Old Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan. The Population Section of the Provincial Planning and Development office (PPDO) spearheaded the affair. The PPDO is headed by Engr. Roger M. Esto, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator, while the Population Section is headed by Mr. Arturo P. Teodosio, Jr., Provincial Population and Gender Officer – Designate, who acted as Head Trainer of the said Training.
The PMC Trainers’ Training was held to train counselors to conduct PMC Counseling Sessions to would – be couples at the Municipal Level on a Team Approach. Some 39 participants from the 17 municipalities of Aklan, the Rural Health Unit, Municipal Social Welfare and Development office and Office of the Municipal Agriculturist attended the training.
Recognizing that the family is the basic unit of our society, the Provincial Government deemed it necessary to conduct the said Training so that the PMC Teams, who will be at the frontline to cater to the counseling needs and other concerns of would – be couples in their localities will be well – equipped with knowledge, skills and attitudes as trained counselors. These PMC Teams will provide services on Reproductive Health, Gender, Family Planning, Responsible Parenthood, Home Management, Maternal and Child Health Care and other related services. Such services hope to bring about responsible parents and close – to – the ideal families who could contribute instead of being a menace to the community.
The legal bases for this PMC Trainers’ Training are our very own Provincial Ordinance No. 05 – 020, also known as the Integrated Population and Gender Development Ordinance, PD 965, Article 16 of the New Family Code and Article 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
The resource persons/facilitators were Pilar G. Lamanosa, Regional PMC Coordinator, POPCOM 6; Dr. Landilino B. Meñez, Provincial Health Officer; Arturo P. Teodosio, Jr., Provincial Population and Gender Officer; Jesebel M. Vidal, Provincial Gender and Development Focal person; Felix A. Jizmundo, Administrative officer II, PPDO; Sheila Regatalio, Statistician Aide, PPDO; and Jorge Icotanim, PPDO.
The highlights of the PMC Trainers’ Training were: the Practicum wherein the participants role played the actual municipal counseling sessions, complete with facilitators and would – be couples as clients; the formulation of a Municipal Action Plan by the 17 LGU representatives; and the coming up of a position paper requesting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan to approve the 2006 Budget of the Integrated Population and Gender Development Program.This activity is only one among the many conscious efforts of our Provincial Government to improve the quality of life of Aklanons – continuous information dissemination, education and communication among its people and putting the family first at the center of all human development undertakings. /MPmailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com

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