Cordillera Administrative Region– “Ito ay isang campaign na napaka-ganda ng kanyang adhikain, kailangang bigyan ito ng pansin para mas malalim ang kanyang puntahan,” said Rev. Edgardo Orcales of Family Independent Baptist Church (FIBC) after pledging his support to the Kaya Ko Ang Pagbabago! Campaign of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) during the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Bi-Monthly Meeting at the DSWD Training Center last 14 August 2014.

The Kaya Ko Ang Pagbabago Campaign is an advocacy initiated by the DSWD to solicit strong public support to health and education. It is also a way of spreading a message of hope and empowerment to the program beneficiaries as they help themselves towards a better life.

The campaign is in line with the recent expansion of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program where the age coverage was extended from 0-14 years old in 2008 to 0-18 years old this year. While most Pantawid Pamilya grantees are also beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and community volunteers under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services National Community Driven Development Program (Kalahi- CIDSS NCDDP),with the number of beneficiaries increasing, the DSWD hopes to get more support on the supply-side from partners and stakeholders through the campaign.

Twelve CSO representatives pledged their commitment to support the Kaya Ko Ang Pagbabago Campaign by participating in a simple placard campaign where they wrote their pledges on a sheet of paper, drew their hand prints, and affixed their signature before sharing to the rest of the representatives their commitments to the campaign.

“Kaya kong magbigay ng tulong higit sa aking kakayanan sa livelihood, entrepreneurship, at higit sa lahat, sa women’s and child’s care dahil may mga members po kaming malapit nang manganak kaya magbibigay tayo ng pre and post natal care,” pledged Mary Ann S. Tagasa from KALIPI.

“Kaming matatanda, ‘yung mga sinulat namin makatotohanan na ‘yan kasi ginagawa na namin talaga ‘yan,” said Rev. Orcales. “Pero ang Pilipino kasi ay noted as ningas-kugon kaya kailangan maging isang konkreto s’yang commitment. Otherwise, bigla na lang ‘yan mawawala,” he added when asked about the changes he wants to see through the campaign.

Furthermore, Rev. Orcales also explained that the Kaya Ko Ang Pagbabago Campaign should be re-echoed not only to the youth but more importantly, to the parents of the beneficiaries. “The parents are the number one role model of the youth, hence, the knowledge and experiences should be bridged,” he said. Using the Kaya Ko Ang Pagbabago Campaign, Rev. Orcales hopes to bridge the generation gap by incorporating activities that would involve both the children and the parents. With the full support of the local government unit, FIBC plans on re-echoing the campaign to the youth Pantawid beneficiaries and their parents on October 31 at a youth team building activity in Tublay, Benguet.

“This is going to be an exciting project and we are willing to become part of it,” Rev. Orcales said.

The CSO representatives who pledged their support to the campaign are Mary Ann S. Tagasa from KALIPI, Jaedarhlyn Paquito from IYAMAN Inc., Linda Gobrin from KAISA KA North, Jeffrey Dimas from Heaven of Care Resource Center Inc., Marian C. Sanchez from Luke Foundation, Edgar Orcales from Family Independent Baptist Church (FIBC), Barangay Nutrition Scholar Monica N. Sicat from City Camp Proper, Constancia Felipe from Project 101, Bhobby P. Areola from Peoples Organization for Social Transformation (POST), Butch Nicolas from Project 101, Chaplain Oscar T. Joaquin from National Auxiliary Chaplaincy Philippines Inc., and Barangay Nutrition Scholar Levita Concepcion from City Camp Proper. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT with Ann Jennica R. Quirimit