Makati City, Philippines-Two parent leaders and one municipal link of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program represented DSWD Field Office II at the National Independent Advisory and Monitoring Committee (NIAMC) and Parent Leader (PL) Forum held at the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center –Manila recently.

Parent Leaders Ritchelle Soriano of Sta. Ana, Cagayan and Noel Nalimma from Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya are the representatives of non Indigenous People and Indigenous People respectively. They were accompanied by Arvin T. Longcop, the Municipal Link of Nagtipunan, Quirino.

The NIAMC and PL forum  aim to provide an avenue for the NIAMC and select parent leaders from the 17 regions over the country to share information and discuss how the Pantawid Pamilya program is being implemented in the grassroots level.

Meanwhile, the PLs who are representatives of their fellow beneficiaries and the direct partners of City/Municipal Links and the DSWD in the implementation of the program has a major say about the impact of the program to them. Hence, they are the primary key informants as to how the program is implemented.

 This was also an avenue for the C/MLs to share concrete experiences on how the program operates in the ground, identify emerging issues and provide recommendations needed for the improvement of the program.

 Additionally, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman graced the event with her message of gratitude to the PLs and C/MLs. She mentioned that the PLs are the movers and leaders of the society in the years to come. Hence, there is a need to capacitate them and their parent members since tey have a great role in guiding the children of tomorrow and it is expected that no one will be left behind.

 For the C/MLs, Sec Dinky expects service that is honest, efficient and passionate. Moreover, she reiterated the trust given to them by the community where they were assigned and the active and harmonious relationship between the C/MLs and PLs.

NIAMC is an independent advisory committee composed of 21 members from different popular organizations, academe, non-government organizations and the private sectors nationwide. This independent body has been an active partner of DSWD in the implementation of its programs and services. ###By ARVIN T. LONGCOP, Municipal Link/Nagtipunan, Quirino