Empowering Families: Parenting Training in Samar to Address Adolescent Pregnancy
News
Tacloban City — A five-day parenting training gathered local workers in Samar to strengthen families’ role in guiding their children and preventing adolescent pregnancy.
The Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP), under the Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP), placed new focus on parents after consultations revealed that family guidance often receives less attention. Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan raised the concern in earlier discussions, which prompted program leaders to act.
From September 1 to 5, the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) and Masayang Pamilya, Inc. organized the training in Tacloban City. They used the Masayang Pamilya Para sa Batang Pilipino (MaPa) framework, an evidence-based program developed with Parenting for Lifelong Health. The sessions taught participants how to strengthen parent-child relationships, manage stress, and practice positive parenting.
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Trainers also introduced the MaPa Teens Hybrid model, which combines parenting support with adolescent health education. The model encourages parents and children aged 10 to 17 to talk openly about relationships, reproductive health, and emotional well-being.
Twenty-five social and health workers from Calbayog, Catbalogan, and the Samar Provincial Government completed the training. They will work directly with families during a three-month pilot in selected communities. Organizers will monitor the pilot closely to track changes in family behavior and youth outcomes.
The results will be shared with the Provincial Government of Samar to explore how the initiative can be expanded under its One Values Program which also aims to strengthen the role of parents in their children’s education, health and well-being. Organizers believe that by working with parents and communities, the program can help young people grow healthier and more supported in their journey to adulthood.
The Provincial Government of Samar will review the results. If the pilot shows promise, leaders plan to expand the initiative across the province. ZFF believes that by equipping parents and communities with the right tools, families can raise healthier and more supported adolescents.