The Antipolo City local government held its 2nd Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) as part of its efforts in extending assistance to parents with children in need of special protection (CNSP), in conflict with the law (CICL), children at risk (CAR), Barangay Violence against Women and Children (VAWC), and Child Welfare Desk officers.

Antipolo City's 2nd Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) 

According to Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares, the local government unit (LGU) held four Saturday sessions containing eight modules at the City Hall.

"Tinitiyak natin na ang mga magulang at tagapag-alaga ng mga bata ay mabigyang kaalaman at kasanayan para makatugon sa mga tungkulin at responsibilidad bilang isang parent. Tinalakay natin ang mga usapin patungkol sa hamon nang pagiging magulang, child development, pagbubuo ng positibong karakter sa kanilang mga anak, kalusugan at nutrisyon, pamamahala sa tahanan, at pagpapanatili ng kapaligirang ligtas para sa mga bata (We are ensuring that all parents and guardians of these children are equipped with the right knowledge and experience on responsible parenting. We tackled the challenges of being a parent, child development, nurturing the positive characters of their children, health and nutrition, home management, and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for their children)," Ynares said.

He added the LGU is launching other initiatives that promote a child-sensitive, child-inclusive, and child-friendly Antipolo.

On Sept. 21, the LGU held Family Life Enrichment sessions for teenage parents to properly guide them and their families.

"Hindi biro ang pagsubok ng pagiging isang batang ina o batang ama. Bukod sa kailangang maging full time sa pag-aalaga, kailangan ding isipin ang magiging kinabukasan ng kanilang anak. Pero ika nga, nariyan na ‘yan  (Being a young mother or father is a daunting task. Aside from taking care of their children full-time, they need to think about the future of their kids). We can’t change their past but we can still help change for the betterment of their future," Ynares explained.

"Kaya naman tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang ating pagsasagawa ng Family Life Enrichment sessions sa mga teenage parents. Kaugnay ito sa ProtecTEEN Project ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) kung saan, Antipolo at Malaybalay, Bukidnon pa lamang sa buong bansa ang nagpapatupad o implement (We continue holding Family Life Enrichment sessions for our teenage parents. This is in line with the ProtecTEEN Project of the DSWD, with Antipolo,  Malaybalay, and Bukidnon as the pilot areas in the country)," he added.

The mayor explained that the program aims to provide psychosocial support, seminars about family planning, social services and assistance, and other interventions to help make teenage parents realize that the local government is helping them fulfill their big responsibilities as young parents.

Project ProtecTEEN is a social welfare model of intervention that intends to create a supportive environment for adolescent mothers and their families. The strategy of this framework includes the empowerment of teenage mothers through the provision of direct social services and assistance, referral to other agencies, and organizing peer advocates.

The target clientele of ProtecTEEN are adolescent mothers 10 to 19 years old, their children, partners, and other household members who provide support to them. It is piloted in three local government units -- Antipolo City, Malabon City and Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

The DSWD explained that the criteria of the agency in selecting pilot areas include high incidence or prevalence of adolescent pregnancy in the area, willingness to implement the project and carry out the expected, and availability of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) services and other related projects in the areas.

Each pilot region will determine a local government unit that shall be responsible in identifying at least two barangays to implement the project, the agency said.