Pantawid recipients join Family Week

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City opened National Family Week with hundreds of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) recipients flocking at the Lapu-Lapu City Sports Complex last Monday.

The event centered with the theme "Celebrating the Filipino Family: Resilient and Caring."

Through this week-long feast of family ties, Mayor Paz Radaza emphasized her battlecry against cyberpornography that, as she stressed, stained and triggered the physical and emotional aspects of the children.

"Ang tema karong tuiga nagpahinumdum sa atong pag-amuma sa atong pamilya panahon sa kalamidad. Ug dili lamang sa panahon sa kalisod, kun dili sa matag adlaw (Our theme this year reminds us to take care of our family during calamities, and not only during times of distress but all the time)," she said.

Aside from the typhoons, Radaza said that cyberpornography is also an alarming concern that makes children vulnerable due to poverty.

"Kini nga problema dako na kini nga hagit sa atong dakbayan tungod kay aduna na kitay nabantayan nga mga kaso niini dinhi (Cyberpornography is a big threat to the city as we have already noted several cases)," she said.

Radaza said she felt dismayed that most parents have taken from children their right to live peacefully and to achieve a bright future.

The mayor said there are parents who made their children perform lewd acts in front of the camera. She learned that they pushed and forced their own children to give in to such acts in exchange for money.

Radaza maintained she condemned all reported cases of cyberpornography in her city.

She then called on the public, especially families, to strengthen and mold their children for a better future.

"Ato silang dalhon ngadto sa kalamboan, dili sa kadaotan (we should take our children to success and not to their detriment)," she added.

Department of Social Welfare and Development office head Ermelita Degamo and the rest of the DSWD also attended the celebration together with 4Ps officials.

The National Family Week is celebrated every last week of September and was put into law in 1992 by the former president Fidel V. Ramos. — Christell Fatima M. Tudtud (FREEMAN)