Filipinos are known for their close family ties that results to extended family structure. We are family-oriented, and most households in the Philippines are commonly made up of extended family members, which may include grandparents, parents, children, aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces. It does not end there: The traditional Filipino family recognizes and accepts the importance of both consanguineal (related by blood) and affinal (connected by marriage) ties. Thus, the extended family can expand some more when in-laws live with their married children in an extended family.
One of the reasons why Filipino families live together is that it is often a more affordable option. For example, married children live with their parents as they start off their careers to help them save money to buy their own house in the future. Meantime, grandparents are just so happy taking care of their grandchildren.
As the family is the basic social unit of society and the nucleus of civilization, strong families make great nations. Aristotle wrote that the family is nature’s established association for the supply of mankind’s everyday wants. He said that the ancient Greek polis or city-state is the natural end of human beings; they start in family groups, progress naturally to forming villages, and finally come together in cities. Thus the family forms the root of human relationships.
In the Philippines, we celebrate the National Family Week every year in the last week of September, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 60 issued on September 28, 1992 by President Fidel V. Ramos. As chair of the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF), the Department of Social Welfare and Development spearheaded the 29th National Family Week celebration on September 20-27, 2021.
This year’s theme is “Pamilya at Teknolohiya: Magkabalikat na Mapagtagumpayan ang Hamon ng Pandemya,” which aims to stress the importance of technology, whether modern or indigenous, in helping Filipino families cope with the effects of the pandemic. The theme explains how modern technology such as the use of online communication platforms and the like, has been assisting Filipino families in strengthening family relations amid the pandemic.
In addition, other indigenous technology were also given recognition in the observance of the National Family Week, such as the Balai House Farming, which provides the family an activity to spend time together, at the same time yielding crops to help with food sustenance amid the pandemic.
An online activity led by the DSWD served as the kick-off for the weekly celebration on September 20, followed by various family-focused activities conducted by the NCFF member-organizations, along with the Pasig City government as this year’s host local government unit. The DSWD also emphasized the need to raise awareness in observance of the “Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day” every 4th Monday of September as declared by Presidential Proclamation No. 326 in January 2012, in conjunction with the annual celebration of the Family Week. For this year, the advocacy for the Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day was observed yesterday, September 27.
We thank the DSWD for spearheading this year’s celebration of the National Family Week. In the time of the pandemic, the celebration is doubly important because it serves to remind all Filipino families that there is nothing more important in our lives than our families. And we should take the time and effort to strengthen family relationships and values so we can all come out of this health crisis as a stronger and more intact unit.
An old song says, “We are family…. all of the people around us they say/Can they be that close/Just let me state for the record/We’re giving love in a family dose…” The Filipino family is the best thing one could ever wish for. Living with your family means you are part of something wonderful.