Pantawid Parent Leaders across the region gathered in two-day training on Leadership and Advocacy for the Institutionalization of the Conditional Cash Transfer on April 5-7,2016 at Roderics Resort, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay Province.

The activity sought to capacitate Parent Leaders to build up leadership skills and to connect their roles in the advocacy works which are the primary needs in their clamour towards the Institutionalization of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Bill.

The participants were equally represented by municipalities and cities across the region and underwent the regular Parent Leaders training on Level 1 (program review) and  Level 2 (program advocates) respectively.

The said training also served as a workroom to apply the capacities of each Parent Leader on how to take the lead and to bridge their voices through communication messages in order for them to effectively communicate the gains of the program. This will reinforce the call for the approval of the bill as a strategy of the government in breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Poverty through human capital investments.

A review on the proposed House and Senate bills was presented by Mr.Thicks Gapor, a Civil Society Organization partner from Kalambuan Project in Zamboanga Del Sur which followed by a facilitated workshop to solicit and gather their position towards the provision of each versions of the bill.

Meanwhile, a Leadership module session was facilitated by Capability Building Head from National Program Management Office, Ms. Ritchel Bernardo together with Social Marketing Division Head for Pantawid Pamilya, Ms.Ofelia Escauriaga who also discussed the session on Communication as tool for Advocacy. These sessions strengthened the capacity of participants as actors in the advocacy works since they are the direct recipients of program who can guarantee its effectiveness and the changes manifested.

All workshop outputs were consolidated including the crafting of the re-entry plan of the parent leaders in four provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula which aims to have concrete action plan among participants towards the institutionalization of the bill to be implemented in their respective areas.

Both houses of Congress will reconvene on May 23 for a three-week session until June 10, 2016 where a window to discuss and pass the proposed bill is a possibility. ##