The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) launched “Bata Balik Eskwela,” an advocacy campaign that aims to encourage 4Ps children to go back to school. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / Kerwin Macopia
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) launched an advocacy campaign on May 20 to ensure that children-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are sent back to school during the opening of classes on June 3 for school year 2019-2020.
Dubbed “Bata Balik Eskwela,” the campaign aims to encourage the children-beneficiaries to enroll back to school so that they will fully utilize the program benefits and to teach them the value of education in their lives and future.
“Through this campaign, DSWD would like to bring back to school the 4Ps children especially those who stopped going to school,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Rebecca Geamala.
Geamala, however, admitted that there are some children who face difficulties in continuing their studies for various reasons that still needed to be addressed.
These challenges include limited funds in buying school supplies and uniforms.
In order to address these challenges, DSWD-7 partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) in distributing school supplies and materials to encourage children to return to school.
“In coordination with the DepEd during the Brigada Eskwela, DSWD installed the Pantawid Pamilya help desk to encourage the parents and their children to enroll in the incoming school year,” she said.
In previous school years, DSWD-7 also conducted house visitations to 4Ps families with children who failed to attend classes.
These visits allowed the agency to identify issues and barriers which prevent children from going back to school.
“Once issues are identified, the Pantawid worker discusses it with the concerned partner-beneficiary especially the child/children. It is hoped that through this effort, children are motivated to continue going to school and comply with the agreements reached during the home visit,” said Geamala.
Geamala also encouraged private individuals, groups, institutions, and partner civil society organizations (CSOs) to get involved in this advocacy by sending donations of school supplies and other materials.
The agency will accept donations until May 31, 2019. / celr