GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – If there’s one thing he learned from attending family development session, family man Arnel Lanoy admits its self-confidence.

Lanoy, 26, a father to five year old boy, says that another stunning learning he acquired from religiously attending family development session was how to manage small type of business while not dependent over the monthly grants they get from the government.

Staying in small-wooden built house in remote village of San Jose, about ten kilometres away from General Santos International Airport, Mr. Lanoy, his wife Rosalyn, 26 and son Alvin, were among the thousands of household covered by the government under conditional cash transfer program in Region 12.

“We are not dependent on the money we get from the program. For me, it’s not right to just wait for the schedule of release. We should also make our own way how to have income,” Lanoy, a part-time motorbike driver, says in an interview inside their house.

Giving proof, according to him, they maintain a small store and his wife is selling snacks outside a government school in this village.

“We are earning small amount of money on a daily basis but if you save it for a month it helps a lot especially for electric bills payment,” he says.

For Rosalyn, she says attending FDS plays a significant venue for her as a mother.

“Our municipal links have been teaching us how to raise our kids as well the important of education,” she points out.

According to her, they will do anything for their son, Alvin, to get a degree in college when he grows up.

“We are thankful. The assistance we get from the government is helping us,” she says.

Bai Zorahayda T. Taha, regional director, says FDS is one of the conditions that the beneficiaries should fulfil in order to continuously receive cash grants.

“The session’s attendance reflects the performance of the parents as the program’s main receivers of the Program’s financial support,” she notes.

The CCT provides cash grants to poor households to encourage them to keep their children age 0-14 in school and have regular health checks.

At the same time, pregnant mothers are required to avail of proper medical care and their deliveries attended to by health professionals. Mothers are also required to attend family development sessions where they discuss topics on parenting and accessing social services in the community. (End)