A four-day Skills Building Workshop titled “Dealing with Families in Serious Distress” was recently conducted at VJR Hall in the provincial capitol.
The event, which took place from July 17 to 20, 2023, was organized by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) in collaboration with the UGAT Foundation, Inc.
Thirty-seven participants attended the workshop, including social workers from PSWDO and various Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (MSWDOs) across the province.
PSWDO head Abigail D. Ablaña said Monday that the workshop covered several crucial topics, including Systems and Systems Perspective, Family Members with Severe Mental Health Issues, Handling Physical Abuse and Violence, Crisis Interventions in Incest Cases, Suicide and High-Risk Cases, Psychoeducation on Salient Concerns of Distressed Families, and Self-Care. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions and share their learnings during the training.
She said the workshop is a valuable opportunity for honing the skills of social workers and other helping professionals in the province, especially in managing interventions targeted at every Palawan family facing various challenges in life.
“Napakalaking bagay nitong [workshop] upang masimulan ang pag-update ng mga skills na dapat naming ginagamit sa pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan. We are fortunate enough na magkaroon ng ganitong pagsasanay — this is one way of upgrading ng mga skills and competencies ng ating mga helping professionals,” ani Ablaña.
Leading the training team was Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., a renowned marriage counselor, along with other members of the UGAT Foundation, Inc.
The workshop, according to Ablaña, undoubtedly left a positive impact on the participants, equipping them with valuable insights and techniques to better support distressed families in the region.
With the commitment of local authorities and organizations like the UGAT Foundation, Inc., she said Palawan is taking a proactive approach to address the needs of its communities and enhance the well-being of its people.
Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates personally attended the opening of the workshop and expressed his gratitude to the UGAT Foundation, Inc., particularly Fr. Tanalega, for their instrumental role in making the activity possible. He emphasized the significance of advancing the advocacy for family-focused interventions within communities.
Also present were representatives from Quezon Medicare Hospital, Aborlan Medicare Hospital, the Gender and Development (GAD) office of the Provincial Government, guidance counselors from Palawan State University (PSU), Holy Trinity University (HTU), and Western Philippines University (WPU), as well as a representative from the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Palawan Provincial Police Office.
