Tagum City – Gathering more than 600 participants from all over Mindanao, the Family Welfare Federations 2^nd Mindanao Family Welfare Summit has bagged success in gathering private companies and other stakeholders in strengthening Family Welfare Program (FWP) in the Workplace last September 21 and 22, 2017.

The organizing of the Mindanao-wide summit is spearheaded by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) XI and the Federation of Family Welfare Stakeholders (FFWS) with the theme: “Strengthening the Engagement of Family Welfare Program for Workforce Advancement.” The summit was held at Big 8 Corporate Hotel in Tagum City.

The first day of the summit, focused on three main topics on Family Welfare namely Spirituality in the Workplace discussed by Father Fernando Suarez of Mother Mary of the Poor which emphasizes that one’s attitude towards his/her work is a reflection of their own spirituality. Next speaker was DOLE VI Regional Director Johnson G. Canete on the topic Positive Enforcement of FWP and Its Challenges, and lastly was Dr. Parkash T. Mansukhani from Davao Doctors Hospital who discussed on Mindfulness – Based Stress Reduction which focuses on meditation and “being in the moment.”

The second day of the summit was benchmarking on four selected companies in the region with best FWP practices. Selected companies are NAKAYAMA Technology Corporation, COCA-COLA FEMSA, TADECO, and Franklin Baker.

The event was graced by DOLE Undersecretary Joel B. Maglunsod, Some of the DOLE Regional Directors led by DOLE XI Director Raymundo G. Agravante together with their FWP Focal Persons and FFWS Federation Presidents headed by FFWS XI President Ceasar B. Opena and executives from the Local Government Unit of Tagum City and the Province of Davao del Norte.

During the summit the DOLE Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns headed by its Director Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla recognized the Federated Family Welfare Committees for the Visayas and Mindanao Clusters. The FWP Pioneering Initiatives Citations for the Visayas Island Region was given to the Panay Federation of Family Welfare Committees, Inc. VI, and the FWP Pioneering Initiatives Citations for the Mindanao island region was given to the Northern Mindanao Federation of Family Welfare Committees, Inc. X.

The Federation Family Welfare Stakeholders is an organization composed of different company members represented by its Human Resource Managers/Directors. FFWS’s primary objective is to share best practices and replicate outstanding accomplishments by the member companies as an advocacy of their corporate social responsibilities through the DOLE’s Family Welfare Program.

Moreover, upon selection the next host for the Mindanao Summit is Region XII and will be held in General Santos City.

Kriztja Marae G. Labrador/LCO-DOLEXI