NCFF Awards Church for Continued Support of National Family Week

“In the center of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the family,” emphasized Elder Aretemio Maligon, Area Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in his response after the Church received recognition from the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF) for its continued support in the promoting, building and strengthening of families.

Elder Maligon, a husband and father of four children, shared about how the principles and doctrines being taught in the Church helped strengthen his own family.

Elder Maligon then shared about “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” to over 100 guests present at the Auditorium of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Office. He explained that the 1992 declaration from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles tells about the divine origin of the family, the responsibilities that parents and children hold, and the eternal destiny of families.

“One of the things that we believe is that family relationships do not only last here on earth but may continue even after death,” he said in Tagalog. “That’s why our relationships are important to our families.”

Nineteen other agencies and organizations also received recognition from NCFF. These include Alliance of Filipino Families for Mental Health, Inc., Andres P. Tamayo, Sr. Foundation, Inc., Community Chest Foundation, Inc., Department of Education, Department of Health, DSWD Field Office III, Kaisahang Buhay Foundation, Inc., Kapatiran-Kaunlaran Foundation, Inc., local government units (LGU) of the Province of Pampanga, LGU of the City of San Fernando, Marriage Enhancement and Team Service Foundation, Inc. (METS), National Committee for Indigenous People, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, National Youth Commission (NYC), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Federation of PDEA-Accredited NGOs, Philippine Council of NGOs Against Drug and Substance Abuse, Philippine Information Agency, and the United Nations Association of the Philippines.

Undersecretary Ryan Enriquez, who received the Certificate of Recognition for NYC, also gave a response at the awarding ceremony. He shared that many of the Filipino youth are growing up with many challenges thrown at their way that not only affect their well-being but also society.

He shared that the problems the youth are facing cannot be solved on their own. Usec. Enriquez then expressed that one of the effective ways to solve them is through the family.

“It’s in the family where children can learn to make correct choices and avoid what is wrong,” he said in Tagalog after he expressed appreciation for the efforts made to uplift families.

Ms. Malee San Buenaventura of METS Foundation, in her speech, also thanked the NCFF for the recognition. Just like the Church, METS is a pioneer member of NCFF and has been observing NFW year after year.

Primarily a faith-based Catholic group, the organization focuses mainly on training married couples to help them become effective parents and providers in their families.

“We believe that everything starts in the family,” Ms. San Buenaventura said as she explained that the choices people make, be it governance, politics, health and many others, are influenced by what is being taught in the family. Hence, the importance of building up the family.

Other speakers who spoke during the event were Undersecretary Luzviminda Ilagan, Legislative Liaison Affairs and Special Presidential Directives of the DSWD; Dr. Cindy Dollente-Ang, Chair, Sub-Committee on Plans, Programs and Membership of NCFF; Mayor Edwin Santiago, City of San Fernando; and Undersecretary Danilo Pamanog, DSWD.

In 1992, former President of the Republic of the Philippines Fidel V. Ramos issued Proclamation 60, which declared every last week of September of every year as a family week and made policy for government “to fortify solidarity in the family and actively work for its total development.”

In 1995, the same president issued Executive Order No. 241 to create a steering committee called the National Committee on the Filipino Family to ensure proper and continuous observance of the National Family Week.

For 27 years since the proclamation, the Church of Jesus Christ remains to be an avid supporter of the National Family Week.