As part of its support system for engaged couples, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ensures that pre-marriage (PM) counselors across the country are accredited and guided by set standards and practices as they perform their roles.
Director Megan Therese Manahan of the DSWD’s Standards Bureau (SB) said on Tuesday (March 18) the agency’s function as the accreditation body for PM counselors is part of its regulatory mandate and various initiatives to support families at various stages of life.
“The DSWD sees marriage built on a strong foundation as the cornerstone of healthy, thriving families and children, and a productive society. Furthermore, we make sure that pre-marriage counselors, who play a vital role in guiding would-be-married couples, are indeed experts in the field,” Director Manahan pointed out.
In line with Executive Order (EO) No. 209 or The Family Code of the Philippines, PM counselors conduct counseling to couples applying for a marriage license, particularly those aged 18-25.
This is intended to provide guidance as they are set to assume their roles as spouses and parents within the bounds of their matrimony, according to the Standards Bureau director.
Under the Family Code of the Philippines, all PM counselors, particularly social workers and other professionals/service providers, both from the private and public sectors, are required to secure a certificate of accreditation from the DSWD.
Only those in line with Articles 7 and 16 of EO 209 or priest, rabbi, imam, ministers authorized by their church or religious sect, and registered with the civil registrar general are exempted from the DSWD accreditation.
“If you have a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Nursing, or any Behavioral and Social Sciences or other four-year courses with counseling as part of the curriculum or practice, and you want to be a counselor, you have to secure an accreditation clearance from the DSWD,” Director Manahan said.
The applicant seeking accreditation is required to complete training/refresher courses/ capacity building on PM counseling through the DSWD Academy.
“Importante rin po na sa DSWD Academy na po siya nag-undergone ng training since ang goal nga po natin, uniformed yung skillset at knowledge ng mga counselors natin dahil uniform din naman yung standards natin,” Director Manahan pointed out.
Director Manahan said the DSWD Academy has already resumed face-to-face classes in its newly-revitalized facilities.
Courses and training opportunities on pre-marriage counseling remain accessible among the academy’s specialized training scheduled for the calendar year of 2025.
Prospective counselors may check on the accreditation process for PM counselors through the Standards Bureau’s website: https://standards.dswd.gov.ph/pre-marriage-counselling/. (LSJ)