The Bayanihan for WellBeing Initiative led by Unilab Foundation, Inc., is bringing us the first-ever Filipino Family WellBeing Virtual Conference happening on February 12 and 13.
With the theme “Pagsulong ng Pamilyang Pilipino sa Panahon ng Pagbabago”, the virtual conference is set to open and steer a discussion that offers various perspectives on family wellbeing.
Challenges of
the Filipino Family
In 2020,
Filipino families went through various challenges brought about by the pandemic
and natural calamities, creating drastic changes in family dynamics, such as financial
and economic concerns. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 73.5% of
Filipino households had at least one member of the family experience job loss
or workload reduction. This resulted to financial instability, with 85% of
households experiencing financial difficulty during the pandemic.
In terms of psychological impact, a study
entitled “Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines (Tee,
2020)” showed that a significant percentage, ranging from 13% to almost 17% of
respondents have rated the psychological impact of the pandemic, its effects on
depressive symptoms and anxiety levels to be moderate to severe. Meanwhile, the
National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) noted a significant increase in
monthly calls from 80 pre-lockdown to nearly 400 during the quarantine.
Meanwhile, among the unprecedented social
concerns that surfaced during the lockdown is families worrying over their
children’s education when schools shifted to online, remote, or distance
learning. Children who would normally play outside are required to stay within
their homes and adults who have shifted to working from home now had to balance
household and career responsibilities, according to a 2020 report by the
Humanitarian and Social Research Center (INSAMER).
Role of Family Wellbeing
Family wellbeing
is central to addressing issues associated with these challenges. The National
Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (NCPFCE) defines family
wellbeing simply as the “safety, health, and financial security of the whole
family”, which encompasses both physical and mental health.
The vision of
the Bayanihan for WellBeing (BWB) Initiative is for mental health
and family wellbeing to be holistic, inclusive, and empowering, targeting
particularly families in the Pantawid ng Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to
join the discussion. The BWB Collaborative is led
by Unilab Foundation, Inc. through its Heads Up PH program with the support of
the Philippine Psychiatric Association, Psychological Association of the
Philippines, Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association, and Philippine
Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Executive
Director of Unilab Foundation Lilibeth Aristorenas shared, “Months long after
the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Filipinos still experience the effects
of social confinement, financial disruptions, and burdens of work-life
integration. Amplified by different crises in the past year, these stressors
continue to debilitate the youth, families, and communities from maximizing
their daily life activities. “
“It is in
uncertain times like this that mental health and wellbeing must be put at the
forefront to address these stresses. Forming healthy familial relationships do
not only help the youth cope with the effects of crises but are also essential
helping them feel love and security, which impacts their brain development and
sense of self and helps them grow up to become confident and resilient
individuals,” added Aristorenas.
The 2-day conference
will have three sessions that will be delving into different aspects of
Filipino family wellbeing, raise awareness on its value and impact on the
mental health of the family, which can hopefully build meaningful partnerships
and cultivate a culture of family wellbeing promotion.
To kick-off the conference, a panel discussion on the challenges and strengths of the Filipino
family during the pandemic will take place on February 12 at 9 AM.
The second session
will take place on February 13 at 9 AM and will tackle how to provide a more
active role in addressing family wellbeing through a panel discussion as well
as activity-based target group sessions.
Lastly, the
third session will happen on February 13 at 4 PM featuring a discussion of
different types of Filipino families and their stories from young couples and single
parents to OFWs to conclude the conference.
The Filipino Family
WellBeing Conference is completely free and open to all from medical and health
professionals and development workers to educators, parents, and the youth.
To join
the event, you can register at bit.ly/FFWC2021RegForm
and watch the livestream at the Bayanihan for WellBeing Facebook page at
facebook.com/BayanihanForWellBeing.
You can also
support the event by donating a Bayanihan for WellBeing Resiliency Play Bag,
which is composed of: (1) Toys like sipa and kickball, which are intended to
help children release tension; (2) Cape and mask which they could design,
allowing them to identify their strengths and make them feel like Superheroes;
and (3) Writing and coloring sheets to encourage their creativity and help them
express their emotions.For as little as
Php250 / $5.00, you can help raise a resilient child by providing them with materials
to help them express themselves and develop coping strategies. Donations can be
done via bank deposit with the details below:
Unilab
Foundation, Inc. – BPI Mandaluyong – Account number 0181-0489-72 (Swift code:
BOPIPHM). Please send a photo of your deposit slip to:
headsup@unilabfoundation.org.
You may also
donate via PayPal at healthierPH@unilabfoundation.org and send a screenshot of
your transaction to headsup@unilabfoundation.org.
For suggestions
and inquiries on the event including partnership and sponsorship opportunities,
you may visit the Bayanihan for WellBeing Facebook page for more details. You
may also contact Camille Mendoza at 0917-867-4169 or
Jefferson Hilario at 0917-326-2092.
Together, let’s
build a mentally healthy Philippines, one family at a time.
