Training of Trainers on Empowerment and

Re-affirmation of Paternal Abilities (ERPAT)

Manual

November 5-9, 2012

Casa Pilar Beach Resort
Boracay Island, Malay Aklan
Background and Overview
of ERPAT

Roles and Functions of

Key Implementers
 ERPATS VISION:
envisions responsible Filipino fathers who are committed, disciplined, knowledgeable, and are highly appreciative in carrying out effective paternal roles and respons

ERPAT envisions responsible Filipino

fathers who are committed,
disciplined, knowledgeable, and are
highly appreciative in carrying out
effective paternal roles and
responsibilities

ERPAT’S VISION
• To work with fathers and their families in the community
helping them to:
• Appreciate their roles in the family
• Improve performance of paternal tasks, and
• Access support services and activities that will help them
achieve a united, productive and stable family.

• To form ERPAT associations at the barangay level;

federations at the municipal /city, provincial and national
levels and gain representations in local councils

ERPAT MISSION
• This manual is a synthesis of many years of experience since
ERPAT was first conceived in 1995. It attempts to capture
what hundreds of fathers in the Philippines have experienced
especially designed for them and share them all with you.

• To enhance the manual further, ERPAT experiences in many

regions were assessed through a writeshop organized by the
Social Technology Bureau and participated in by DSWD field
office technical staff. For three days the participants labored to
enhance the manual first published in 2004.

About the ERPAT

(The Manual)
• The writeshop participants:

• Shared their personal and professional experiences in

implementing ERPAT;
• Exchanged success stories of fathers who underwent the
ERPAT experiences; and,
• Wrote additional contents for the enhanced manual

The enhanced manual thus offer a wider timeline, which

includes the tasks of the three main users / readers namely;
the (1) field office technical staff, (2) the Local Government
Unit/implementer or NGO volunteer and the (3) father-
leader
• This manual aims to help the reader / user to initiate and
sustain ERPAT at all levels. Specifically, this manual aims to
provide you:

• An adequate background information and materials on ERPAT

as a strategy, as a service and as an organization;

• A ready-to-use set of training modules for your ERPAT

sessions: and

• A basic resource information that you may access in the course

of program implementation.

Objectives of the Manual

• This Manual contains a total of five (5) interdependent parts.

• Chapter one gives you an overview of ERPAT

• Chapter two provides information on how to go about introducing

ERPAT to the LGUs;

• Chapter three gives you a step-by-step procedure in implementing

ERPAT specific to the LGU implementer;

• Chapter four defines roles and functions of ERPAT volunteers,

leaders and other stakeholders; and,

• Chapter five takes you to the ERPAT training modules

Inside the Manual

1995

• The then Bureau of Family and Community Welfare

conceptualized a Parent Effectiveness Session especially designed
for fathers.

• This strategy was called Empowerment and Reaffirmation of

Paternal Abilities Training (ERPAT).

• ERPAT was developed to address the problem of fathers’ non-

attendance to the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) sessions.

• The first ones to benefit from ERPAT were DSWD male

employees

Chapter One: An Overview of ERPAT

1999

• The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) underwent a

repositioning.

• The then Programs and Project Bureau took ERPAT as a core service for
fathers, enriching it by going beyond the initial intent.

• Under the PPB, ERPAT addressed the increased incidence of domestic

violence, gender role issues and father’s inadequate parenting capability.

• PPB pilot–tested ERPAT in three (3) regions namely, Regions X, VI and V

(specifically the cities of Gingoog, Kabankalan and Legazpi.

• ERPAT was implemented within the Family Life Resource Centers and in
selected communities

• The first group of ERPAT father-leaders and volunteers were organized.

Chapter One: An Overview of ERPAT

2002

• A writeshop among the academe, faith-based groups, NGOs, GOs,

and POs enhanced ERPAT’s content

• In a Regional Parent Education Congress, further inputs for

ERPAT materialized given that the Congress’ theme included ‘the
important role of fathers in securing a drug-free home.

• These series of revisions brought about eight basic training

modules.

Chapter One: An Overview of ERPAT

2008

• LGU Implementers and father-leaders from the Visayas and

Mindanao Clusters participated in a trainers’ training;

• The participants from this training committed to implement

ERPAT in their respective regions and provinces. The
participants also planned and agreed to hold an assessment
on the implementation of ERPAT towards the end of the
same year

Chapter One: An Overview of ERPAT

2009

The Social Technology Bureau conducted a quick survey to assess the

ERPAT experience; yielding the following findings:

• Of the 17 regions nationwide, 11 regions implemented the ERPAT service to

36% of the provinces in the country composed of 66 cities and municipalities.

• A total of 363 ERPAT trainings conducted in 475 barangays benefited a total

of 8,401 fathers.

• More than half of the fathers trained came from Region VI equivalent to 56%
of the participants followed by Region IX and Region X at 19% and 15%,
respectively.

• The ERPAT trainings conducted resulted to the organization of 359 ERPAT

associations nationwide with a total of 8,777 individual members.

Chapter One: An Overview of ERPAT

 • 32% of ERPAT organizations are active with commitment, sustained interest and active
participation of father-leaders and members as the main reasons cited

• Region IX conducted ERPAT for 38 batches and sustained 35 of them as associations

attributed to their regular conduct of meetings and formulation of organizational thrust
and directions.

• Support services are very important in sustaining the operation of the ERPAT
organization.

• Almost 80% of the ERPAT organizations are aware of their role as fathers through the
conduct of awareness and information campaign.

• Technical Assistance from the Field Office is a necessary factor to ensure ERPAT
success

The STB organized a writeshop among field office technical staff members to
enhance the ERPAT manual

Chapter One: An Overview of ERPAT

• International Instrument

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) The CRC,

an international instrument ratified in 1990 by the Philippines,
sets minimum standards for state parties to ensure the promotion
and protection of the rights of children.

Legal Bases
• National Laws

1987 Philippine Constitution

• The State recognizes the sanctity of the family life and shall protect and
strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally
promote the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from its conception
(Article 2, Section I).

The State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation.
Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total
development. (Article XV, Section I).

The Family Code of the Philippines

• The husband and wife are obliged to live together, observe mutual love, respect
and fidelity, and render mutual help and support (Article 68).

The management of the household shall be the right and duty of both spouses
(Article 71).

The Child and Youth Welfare Code (PD 603)

• Joint Parental Authority – The father and mother shall exercise jointly just and
reasonable parental authority and responsibility over their legitimate or adopted
children. (Chapter I - -Article 17)
• The Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act or RA 9262 – A state
shall exert efforts to address violence committed against women and children in
keeping with the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution and
the Provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and other international
human instruments of which the Philippines is a party. SEC. 2.Declaration of
Policy.

• Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and

Discrimination Act or RA 7610 - It is hereby declared by the policy of the State
to provide special protection to children from all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty,
exploitation and discrimination and other conditions, prejudicial to their
development; provide sanctions for their commission and carry out program for
prevention and deterrence of and crisis interventions in situations of child abuse,
exploitation and discrimination. The state shall intervene in behalf of the child
when the parent, guardian, teacher or person having care and custody of the child
fails or is unable to protect the child against abuse, exploitation and
discrimination or when such acts against the child are committed by the parent,
guardian, teacher or person, having care and custody of the same. SEC. 2.
Declaration of Policy.

• Family Courts Act of 1997- The State shall protect the rights and promote the
welfare of children in keeping with the mandate of the Constitution and the
precepts of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child. The State
shall provide a system of adjudication for youthful offenders which take into
account their peculiar circumstances.
ERPAT can be a lot of things for those who are involved:

• ERPAT is a service that gives importance and emphasis on the

development and enrichment of knowledge, attitudes and skills of
fathers in performing their paternal roles and responsibilities.

• It involves the conduct of community-based sessions for fathers;

training of; and organization of father–leaders and volunteers in the
community to facilitate collective action and participation in
promoting the important role of fathers to the family.

• ERPAT also serves as one of the interventions of the Parent

Effectiveness Services (PES) because it sees the significant roles of
fathers in all aspects of child rearing and caring.

What is ERPAT?
General:
• To enhance and strengthen parenting capabilities of Filipino fathers in
performing their tasks and responsibilities.

Specific:

• To empower fathers by developing a positive concept of self.

• To develop and enhance the father’s attitudes, knowledge and skills on Early
Childhood Care and Development; preparing and equipping adolescent children
in handling and meeting adult roles and responsibilities; and raising children with
spiritual values.
• To help fathers develop gender sensitivity and appreciation of partnership with
their spouses in promoting and enhancing family life by:
• Enhancing and strengthening a positive and satisfying marital relationship
• Preventing violence in the home
• Promoting shared parenthood and planned family size
• To establish support networks among fathers in the community and enhance their
active participation and involvement especially in establishing a drug-free family;
understanding and preventing HIV-AIDS; and all forms of violence in the family.

What are ERPAT’s Objectives?

• All males who need better knowledge, attitudes and skills on fathering, who are
unable to cope with familial responsibilities and who fall under the following
categories:

• Generally fathers with children 0 – 24 years old

• Biological Fathers (including but not limited to)
• Solo father
• Returning migrant/OFWs
• Released prisoners
• Persons with disabilities
• Adoptive Father
• Newly wed husbands
• Organized father groups i.e., faith based organizations
• Surrogate Fathers (including but not limited to)
• Foster father
• Guardian
• Caregiver

Who are ERPAT’s target Beneficiaries?

Aside from the fathers, families and
communities benefit from ERPAT.

Who Benefits from ERPAT?

 The Local Social Welfare and Development Office
(LSWDO) are the direct implementers of ERPAT.
Meanwhile, the DSWD through its field offices provide
technical support to the LSWDO. Lastly, father-leaders are
the main actors in community level ERPAT implementation.

Who Implement’s ERPAT?

 The Local Government Units (LGUs) fund the
implementation of ERPAT. However, funding support can
be tapped from other agencies.

Where do funds for ERPAT come from?

The DSWD Field Office shall monitor the service
implementation

Who Monitors the ERPAT Implementation?

• Advocacy and Social Mobilization

This involves the conduct of advocacy and social

mobilization activities in securing support and awareness
in the implementation of ERPAT in the community. Public
awareness and information campaigns shall convey basic
messages that promote the important role of Filipino
fathers in instilling and fostering love, respect, discipline,
industry and care for the family. Indigenous form of
media can be utilized to advocate support in the
promotion and implementation of ERPAT at the
community using local talents and resources.

ERPAT Service Components?

• Organization and Strengthening of Father’s
Associations

This involves the formation of ERPAT core groups

composed of leaders at the barangay level who will
facilitate the organization of ERPAT. The organized
structures shall serve as venues for collective action and
participation founded on the principles of cooperation,
trust and good communication and commitment to the
promotion of the important roles of fathers in the family
and in promoting the social well-being of families as a
whole.

ERPAT Service Components?

Capability Building / Training

• This involves training and capability-building activities for two (2) sets
of implementers:

• The ERPAT members - -or members of the ERPAT associations/groups, father

leaders and volunteers who are directly trained primarily to enhance their
paternal roles and responsibilities; and to sustain the ERPAT service in the
community.
• LGU Workers/Implementers – or the service providers and implementers who
are trained to ensure effective and efficient service implementation and
management.

• The basic courses include community volunteers’ development,

participatory leadership, peer counseling, organization building and
project development and sustainability. Experiential learning activities
are also conducted to put substance and deepen the formal training
provided to the ERPAT implementers and volunteers

ERPAT Service Components?

Networking and Alliance Building

• This involves resource generation and mobilization to achieve

the thrusts of networking and alliance building among agencies
and father groups as the most important indicators of
successful community organization. Networking facilitates
sharing of knowledge, skills and resources among people and
organizations in the community. Father-leaders and volunteers
and/or father associations are mobilized to generate resources
to sustain implementation of ERPAT in the community. This
includes family welfare serving agencies and child
caring/placing agencies as well as the LGUs and POs in the
target areas. Efforts to converge the resources and services of
different welfare agencies operating within the area are
pursued to ensure optimal use of resources for ERPAT

ERPAT Service Components?

• Provides technical assistance and resource augmentation;
• Prepares and does social marketing activities for a
specific programme, project, service or activity;
• Build networks and alliances;
• Generate and manage data; and
• Write reports

Chapter Two: The Filed Office Technical Staff

(Initiating, Managing and Sustaining ERPAT)
• Secure, consolidate, analyze and interpret data of
family situations at the regional level and segregate
these by province. Find out and build:
• The over-all situation of families, you may acquire these
from the local planning offices
• The magnitude of / incidences of domestic violence in the
community, you may acquire these from the local social
welfare and development office and the local police entity;
• The magnitude of / incidence of other macro issues, i.e.,
drug use and abuse, HIV and AIDS, teenage pregnancy.
ECCD – PES attendance by fathers, etc;

Field Office Technical Staff must do

• Develop or craft simple communication materials which
you will use to present the data that you have gathered per
province or per city/municipality; among these materials
include;
• PowerPoint presentation or flip chart
• Fact Sheets or leaflets per municipality or province
• Also make ready a generic ERPAT orientation acquired
from the DSWD-STB

• Once done, begin your ground work by engaging significant

members of the local councils and local chief executives by
initiating courtesy calls i.e., the committee chairpersons for
Family; as well as the Budget and Planning Officers. When
necessary write SB sponsors to include ERPAT Orientation
in the agenda of the SB regular session

Field Office Technical Staff must do

• Request for and arrange an agreed convenient date for
presentation
• Present your data as well as the ERPAT concept
covering
• ERPAT Vision and Mission
• Roles and functions of the MSWDO on ERPAT implementation
• Activities related to ERPAT implementation
• Benefits of having ERPAT

Field Office Technical Staff must do

• When necessary, craft a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
between the Field Office representing the DSWD and the Local
Government expressing the LGU’s commitment to adopt ERPAT
as a service and defining the technical assistance roles of the
DSWD through the FO;
• Organize and conduct a region / province–wide ERPAT training of
trainers among LGU implementers and Father Leaders
• Provide post training technical assistance to provinces and / or
municipalities as resource person, in the areas of:
• Training management & facilitation
• Tips on community volunteer resource mobilization
• Sustainability Planning
• Conduct monitoring visits, periodic monitoring assessment
surveys through the use of standard monitoring tool and annual
assessment meetings with LGU and father leaders
• Generate periodic (quarterly) reports for the DSWD central office

Field Office Technical Staff must do

• Regularly hone your skills in social marketing, advocacy and networking –
ERPAT’s success is about making the issues ( in this case parenting unique to
fathers and the need to address domestic violence) you raise be felt and owned by
the people themselves;

• Practice your facilitating skills – remember that you are the primary trainer if
not the training manager of the people who will implement ERPAT. Keep in
mind a teaching theory that goes “one teaches the way he/she was taught”. How
you will deliver the messages contained in ERPAT will reflect on how well they
will be able to implement it at the local level

• Update yourself with current issues – keep abreast with local and national
issues that are directly or indirectly related to ERPAT (father-centered issues).
Among these are domestic violence, absentee fathers and the social cost of labor
migration, child protection and development.

• Familiarize yourself with new laws and issuances – read and be familiar with
national and local policies that can help you in understanding current protection
issues;

IDEAS
• Make sure that you understand the processes with which ERPAT is implemented at the
LGU level - it is best therefore to read through the proceeding chapters on ERPAT
implementation

• Value your partnerships with LGU implementers, Local Chief Executives and Father
Leaders – get to know them and add a personal touch with your partners in the provinces
and municipalities. Remember their birthdays and send them greeting cards, track their
achievements and send them congratulatory notes, etc.

• Organize (when logistics permit) and participate in other auxiliary activities - keep in
mind family day celebrations, nutrition month, children’s month, mothers and father’s day,
adoption week, etc. these are good opportunities to engage local government partners in
ERPAT issues

• Involve the NGOs – they may have other resources which you can use for ERPAT;

• Keep disciplined schedules – do remember that LGUs have other activities aside from
ERPAT, keeping a disciplined schedule for activities like training, meetings, monitoring
visits as agreed will make it easier for them.

• Always bear in mind you and your partners’ definitive roles and functions but be
flexible as well

IDEAS
 ERPAT has four (4) main groups of stakeholders, namely
the ERPAT father volunteers/leaders; the local government
units; NGOs, civic and private groups; and the DSWD
Central Office together with the DSWD Field Offices

The Stakeholders Functions

• Recruit fathers in the barangay to join ERPAT Association;
• Organize the ERPAT Association under the direct supervision
of the LGU social worker;
• Assist the LGU trained social workers in the conduct of
ERPAT Sessions in the Barangay;
• Assist the LGU social workers in the conduct of ERPAT
training and other related activities;
• Assist the ERPAT Associations in Management and
Monitoring of group projects and activities;
• Submit report to LGU Social Workers of ERPAT Association
Accomplishment and Group Roster Forms.

Functions of ERPAT Fathers and

Volunteers/Leaders
• Implement and supervise the project;
• Provide administrative fund support in the implementation of project;
• Facilitate organization of ERPAT Associations;
• Supervise activities of ERPAT Association, e.g. planning and implementation of
support activities in the community;
• Conduct training for ERPAT volunteers and leaders;
• Provide technical assistance and supervision to members and offices of ERPAT
associations;
• Identify/access resources for the provision of social services to ERPAT family
members;
• Develop and maintain linkages with NGOs, GOs and other stakeholders;
• Support public awareness raising/regional concerning overall goals and thrust
ERPAT;
• Conduct of monitoring and evaluation using the standard monitoring tool.
• Prepare quarterly status reports to DSWD Field Offices;

Role/ Functions of Local Government Units

• Acts as resource person;
• Provides referral services;
• Provides fund augmentation and access to resources;
• Conducts trainings on ERPAT session and skills
enhancement activities;
• Assists MSWDO/CSWDO in identification/recruitment
of ERPAT participants;
• Participates in service review and
enrichment/development

Other Stakeholders
(NGOs/Church/Academe/Civic Groups/Associations)
• Prepares guidelines and other program materials for the
service;
• Oversees the overall implementation of service;
• Allocates funds for the implementation of the service;
• Monitors, evaluates and provides technical assistance to the
DSWD Field Offices
• Conducts orientation/demonstration of the project to LGUs
implementers;
• Consolidates and analyses reports submitted by the regions;
• Prepares quarterly reports and update of the service;
• Conducts documentation and research of the service;
• Conduct of annual program review and evaluation workshop

The Role/Functions of DSWD Central Office

• Conducts consultation with LGUs to determine their interest,
readiness, commitment and capability to implement the service;
• Assists in the orientation of LGU implementers;
• Monitors and provides technical assistance to LGU implementers;
• Develops and maintains linkages with LGUs, NGOs and other
national government agencies in the area relative to service
implementation;
• Assists in the evaluation research and documentation of the service;
• Ensures judicious disbursement of programs funds;
• Prepares and submits a quarterly report to the DSWD –Central
Office;
• Forge a MOA to gain the support and commitment of LGUs to adopt
ERPAT as a service and define the roles of DSWD Field Office.

The Roles / Functions of DSWD Field Office

The success of ERPAT depends on two important factors. It
includes (1) the active involvement of fathers themselves in
the community and a (2) strong support from the Barangay
or local officials as well as other existing groups in the
community

Here’s a step-by-step guide for you (The LGU implementer)

to follow when preparing to implement ERPAT

Chapter Three: The LGU Implementers

(Initiating, Managing and Sustaining ERPAT)
A. Coordinate with Barangay Council and other Key
Leaders

• Coordinate with your Barangay Officials to elicit

commitment and support of the Barangay Council as well
as clarify the functions and types of support you expect
from them in implementing ERPAT.
B.Identify and Recruit your target participants (fathers)

• This involves identification of priority target beneficiaries at

the community level through home visits and referrals by both
LGUs and non-government organizations (NGOs) or groups in
the locality. Among those you can initially engage with are:
1. Fathers who are members of the Day Care Service Parents
Groups (DCSPG)
2. Neighborhood Parent Effectiveness Assembly (NPEA)
3. Supplemental Feeding Parents Group (SFPG)
4. Husbands of women who are involved and / or are beneficiaries
of programs for women ;
5. Members of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children
and the Barangay Council
6. Fathers who are members of Men Support Groups (MSG).
7. Fathers who are MOVE members.
• Aside from the above, you must also consider fathers of
families at risks. To identify them you may need to refer
to the following indicators;

• Families with reported cases of abuse

• Families whose members are with poor health/nutrition
• Families whose children are out-of-school
• Families whose heads exhibit inappropriate behavior models of
family such as substance use and abuse, and
• Families with solo male parent
C. Conduct an Orientation on ERPAT

• Conduct an orientation session based on the time and place

preferred by the father volunteers. Inform them of the
objectives so that they will know what to expect. Seek their
commitments by visiting them in their homes.

• In conducting an orientation meeting for ERPAT, you need to

establish rapport, camaraderie and friendship among fathers
and key leaders that you have invited. Focus your orientation
meeting on the background, rationale, objectives, approaches,
and strategies of ERPAT. You may need to use group dynamics
and games to animate this session. This meeting also includes
brainstorming on the present situations of Filipino fathers.
Inset is a three-(3) hour orientation session guide for you.
D. Organize a Core Group of Fathers

• Once you have identified and oriented your “target

fathers” engage them to organize a core group composed
of 20-25 individuals. They should be those who are
concerned and capable of assisting and / or initiating
ERPAT activities in the community. Also remember to
coordinate with the Barangay Council asking them to
lend support by having a representative who can help
organize the core group. You might need to begin by
engaging other “informal father leaders” in the Barangay
coming from different sectors such as church, schools and
other organizations in the Barangay.
E. Set a Final Schedule for the ERPAT Community-
Based Sessions

• Secure fathers’ commitment during your orientation

session and engage them to agree on a specific schedule
for the conduct of ERPAT session. Together with the core
group of fathers, prepare for the ERPAT training.

F. Conduct the ERPAT Sessions

• At this stage you and the other father-trainers can devise

your own teaching methodologies and materials.
However do maintain the core messages for each of the
session. The modules and session guides are found in
Chapter three.
G. Conduct and Organizational Planning Workshop

• After completing the ERPAT training sessions, you can

now identify more potential leaders that will expand your
initial core group of ERPAT leaders. Immediately call for
a planning workshop where and when officers are elected
and committees are formed. Do remember to define roles
and responsibilities as basis for the choice of leaders.
Emphasize too, that the members and leaders of each
committee must have a sense of commitment for
community development work, effective leadership, and
should be sensitive and concerned to fellow
families/fathers in the community.
H. Organize an ERPAT Association

• The organized fathers in your community can now form the ERPAT
Barangay Association. (Please see annex). For its initial meeting, the
organization shall formulate its vision, mission and goal (VMG)
based on the objectives of ERPAT. This is very important for this will
guide as well as provide direction to the plans and other activity of
the association. The members and officers of the ERPAT association
shall jointly agree upon the vision, mission and goals.

• When the members and officers finalize the VMG, the plan of action
of the association may be finalized and specific committees can be
organized to handle activities or projects. Each committee may set
their own activities to accomplish their tasks.

• In the plan of action of the ERPAT associations, special emphasis on

the celebration of special events such as Family Week, Father’s Day,
Mother’s Day, Children’s Month, Women’s month and other special
events that promote the strengthening of family shall also be
included.
I. Implement the Planned Programs and Projects of
ERPAT

• A key to sustaining organization’s life is to make sure

those programs and projects are implemented as planned.
The LGU worker can initially supervise program and
project implementation. At this stage, it is expected that
you and the association mobilizes fathers who will then
mobilize their family members to help undertake projects
in the community. Among the activities and projects you
can implement are:

• Capability Building for both newly recruited fathers and other

LGU or NGO workers;
• Peer Support Organization and Mobilization
• Project Monitoring, Supervision, Evaluation and Sustainability
• Monitoring and evaluation of the service implementation shall
focus on the following activities:

• The DSWD national and field offices will conduct regular

monitoring visits. This will be a joint activity with the local
government units concerned.
• Annual service implementation review will be conducted to
evaluate the overall project implementation to include strengths
and weaknesses for continuity and improvement as a basis for
plan of action for the succeeding year.

• Other activities that can help you sustain the organization are
activities that respond to the needs and problems of each
member, individual or in groups. These include but not limited
to the (1) regular home visits, (2) provision of livelihood
projects; (3) conduct of cultural and sports activities; and (4)
provision of awards and other forms of recognition/incentives
to the efforts of father leaders and volunteers.
Competency Requirements of an ERPAT
Leader/Volunteer

Knowledge:
• Know basic methods of organizing
• Know the contents of the ERPAT program
• Has good knowledge on leadership and volunteerism
• Has basic knowledge on Peer Counseling

Chapter Four: The Father Leaders

(Initiating, Managing and Sustaining ERPAT)
Attitudes/Values:
• Sensitivity to familial roles, responsibilities, needs and
social realities among fathers.
• Recognizes strengths and improve weaknesses

Skills:
• Effective communication
• Facilitating groups and using facilitating methods
• Active listening and relationship-building
• Energizing /inspiring/motivating
• Basic skills in counseling
• Skills in organizing
• Skills in establishing rapport
Father-volunteer as Coordinator

• Coordinates with M/CSWDO in the conduct of

community-based sessions.
• Assists in the conduct of identifying fathers as
participants
• Arranges for a venue and use of equipment
• Prepares learning materials
• Provides resource persons, if necessary
• Acts as guides during the learning experiences of fathers

Preliminary Phase
Father-volunteer as Organizer

• Coordinates and links with M/CSWDO, Barangay

leaders/officials and ensuring active participation of
fathers in the community;
• Organizes core group of fathers as initial volunteers
• Identifies and mobilizes resources

Preliminary Phase
Father-volunteer as Co-Trainer (in the Community-
Based Sessions)

• Plans with M/C/SWDO on theme and topic assignments

• Assists M/C/SWDO in the conduct of ERPAT session or
acts as resource person
• Provides information on ERPAT
• Conducts training for fathers in the community through
the use of various learning methodologies
• Uses learning aids–charts, drawing, pictures, and other
forms of visual aids

Implementation Phase
Father-volunteer as Peer Counselor

• Provides support and encouragement to fathers in crisis

• Develops rapport with other participants
• Develops genuine interest in directing their process of
growth
• Communicates on a one-on-one basis with fathers in
stressful situations
• Organizes sessions to enhance self-confidence and self-
esteem of fathers.
• Enhances relationship/teambuilding with father
volunteers/leaders

Implementation Phase
Father-volunteer as Documenter and Records Keeper

• Maintains records of the accomplishment of the ERPAT

group through monitoring and documentation
• Observes participation/involvement of father leaders
• Documents activities of ERPAT groups

Implementation Phase
Father-volunteer as Monitor/Evaluator

• Assesses the extent of implementation and effects of

ERPAT sessions to father participants
• Undertakes follow-up visits with/ to fathers and their
families
• Conducts regular (monthly/quarterly) meeting
• Shares reflections and sessions with fathers
volunteers/leaders
• Provides relevant feedback to MSWDO
• Conducts consultation meeting with other stakeholders

Post-Implementation
Father-volunteer as Coordinator

• Conducts follow through activities through

coordination with concerned parties
• Establishes and maintains contacts with the
fathers in the community, their families, peers,
and other individuals or groups or agencies
involved in ERPAT implementation to ensure that
its objectives are achieved

Post-Implementation
• Father-volunteer as Advocate
• Shares learning and gains of ERPAT to other fathers in
the community
• Recruits fathers and Men Opposed to Violence Against
Women Everywhere (MOVE) advocates to become
ERPAT members
• Builds partnership with MOVE organization for the
prevention of violence against women and children
(VAWC)
• Assists in the information dissemination campaign of
ERPAT towards promotion of paternal roles and
responsibilities

Post-Implementation