ILOILO CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) hailed an indigenous peoples (IPs) clan from Calinog, Iloilo as the most exemplary family in Western Visayas.
The Caballero family led by patriarch Romulo was awarded as the 2022 Natatanging Pamilyang Pilipino in a ceremony here recently.
“The family was awarded for being an exemplary Filipino family in the region in living out the goal of the government for every Filipino family to have a stable, comfortable, and peaceful life which demonstrated through their resilience, courage, and strength in facing hardships or difficulties,” said DSWD-6 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Arwin Razo.
Romulo, his wife, Erlinda, and daughter Elsie personally received the award and the P10,000 cash prize.
As the regional winner, the Caballeros will vie for the national award with other regional winners from all over the country.
Romulo and his family are actively involved at the Balay Turun-an or the School for Living Tradition that was established by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in Barangay Garangan, Calinog.
He is a brother of Federico Caballero, who has been declared as a National Living Treasure.