Category: Network Building

CYDP PANGASINAN MEETING AND COURTESY CALL IN LGU-BAYAMBANG

On March 15, 2021, the Open Heart Foundation (OHF) monitoring team, Ms. Linda, Saleah, Mark and Tatet, were given a chance to visit Pangasinan and conduct CYDP meeting and courtesy call, since the community quarantine protocols became lax.  Ever since the pandemic, meeting the beneficiaries has been a challenge.  Although the use of online platforms was resorted to, there is nothing better than a face to face meeting.  Saleah, the assigned social worker was able to conduct kumustahan and consultation with 12 beneficiaries regarding their current experiences.  According to the beneficiaries, they have been able to adjust to the remote learning system.  However, there are still some challenges they encounter which affect their performance in their studies.  Some of the beneficiaries had a hard time complying in their activities due to challenges in internet connection and lack of better and working gadgets.  Some of uncontrollable condition in their house also affects them like sudden death of a loved one, household chores, and different situations/conditions inside their house.  Some also are affected by the limitations imposed by current system like unable to conduct thesis defense and product presentations.  According to the beneficiaries, they need to be flexible in order to comply in their activities, both in school and in their home.  Yet, they also hope that their school professors will be as flexible as them and have considerations in their activities.  As agreed during the meeting, OHF will still give them the chance to comply to the rights of their incomplete grades in one semester.  Mark, then, distributed their allowance for January-March 2021.

After meeting the beneficiaries, the team had a chance to conduct a courtesy call in the Local Government Unit of Bayambang, Pangasinan.  A meeting with Mayor Cezar Quiambao with his wife, Mr. Rafael L. Saygo from Supervising Tourism Operation with his team, Ms. Ryza representing the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office was conducted.  The meeting was an opportunity to get to know the local government of Bayambang and their current best practices.  They also presented the Municipal Plan of Action, a comprehensive document consisting the agenda of the local government in addressing the needs of the community.  Also, Ms. Linda was able to present the existing programs and services of the Foundation.  This meeting is vital for the community assessment to know where can the OHF program best meet the needs of the community.  A Memorandum of Agreement between the OHF and the LGU is the next target to serve best the community, especially the children and youth.

Prepared by: Saleah Joy Uclusin, RSW/Program Area Coordinator

Developing a Child-Friendly Monitoring Tools for the 3rd National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC) is this year’s topic of the Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC) Coalition’s Annual Children’s Consultation held September 7-8, 2019 at La Breza Hotel in Quezon City.

Attended by children and youth representatives from various children’s rights advocate organizations in the country, the Open Heart Foundation youth was represented by Alexandra Del Rosario and John Christian Valles.

Discussed in this activity is the 3rd NPAC for 2017-2022, a medium-term action plan to achieve and realize the vision for the Filipino Children or Child 21, stating the four goals as follows:
Goal 1: Children have a better quality and improved quality of life.
Goal 2: Children are well-nourished, have healthy lives and are active learners with good quality education.
Goal 3: Children are safe and free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Goal 4: Children are actively participating in decision-making processes affecting their lives according to their evolving capacities.

Through child-friendly games, workshop and interactive activities, the perspectives of the youth participants and their understanding of the UNCRC children’s rights and NPAC goals were gathered. An additional topic in Understanding Sex and Gender was also discussed by the facilitators from the CRC Coalition.

The participants have identified indicators in determining whether each goal is achieved considering the topics that has been discussed. They have chosen at least two significant issues of concerns in the community and society, as a whole, where they came out with sets of questions that can be used in the monitoring tool.

Participants presented their proposed data gathering techniques, methodologies, schedule and monitoring process that they see effective and applicable for children their age. The types of support they need and from whom was also identified.

The 2-day activity concluded with a consultation meeting with the youth participants of the Children Talk to Children (C2C) facilitated by Ms. Olive of Save the Children. This was in view of the possible changes of C2C program management from SM-ZOTO, the organization who sphere headed this initiative, to CSC-CRC Coalition.

Article prepared by Janette Corollo, RSW

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