The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is urging pre-marriage counselors across the country to undergo training at the DSWD Academy to ensure a uniform skill set knowledge base and high standards for those guiding engaged couples.
“If you have a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Nursing, or any Behavioral and Social Sciences or other four-year courses with counseling as part of the curriculum or practice, and you want to be a counselor, you have to secure an accreditation clearance from the DSWD,” DSWD Standards Bureau Director Megan Therese Manahan said in a statement on Tuesday, March 18.
To ensure counselors meet the required standards, the DSWD mandates that all applicants complete specialized training on pre-marriage counseling through the DSWD Academy.
“It is important that counselors undergo training at the DSWD Academy, as it ensures that their skillsets and knowledge are uniform and aligned with our standards,” Manahan pointed out.
She emphasized the importance of accreditation for pre-marriage counselors, highlighting the DSWD's role in ensuring that counselors have the necessary expertise to assist couples.
The DSWD is tasked with overseeing the accreditation of pre-marriage counselors, a regulatory responsibility that is in line with its mission to promote healthy family development across the country.
“The DSWD sees marriage built on a strong foundation as the cornerstone of healthy, thriving families and children, and a productive society. Furthermore, we make sure that pre-marriage counselors, who play a vital role in guiding would-be-married couples, are indeed experts in the field,” Manahan said.
Under Executive Order No. 209, or The Family Code of the Philippines, pre-marriage counseling is required for couples applying for a marriage license, particularly those aged 18-25.
Manahan said the counseling provides couples with guidance as they prepare for their roles as spouses and parents, promoting stronger marital foundations.
She added that all pre-marriage counselors, including social workers and other professionals from the private and public sectors, must secure accreditation from the DSWD.
The only exceptions are religious leaders, such as priests, rabbis, imams, and ministers authorized by their respective religious sects and registered with the civil registrar general.