The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Friday highlighted the importance of preventive measures in addressing cases of violence against children (VAC).
“Prevention is one of the keys to really ensure that our children are protected para hindi po sila ma-aabuse. Isa nga po diyan yung pagpapalakas ng kapasidad ng mga magulang para alagaan yung kanilang mga anak, para maintindihan po yung complexities of childhood and of adolescence nang sa gayon ay matugunan po nila yung mga pangangailangan ng kanilang mga anak at ma-prevent (so they are not abused. One of them is to strengthen the capacity of the parents to take care of their children, to understand the complexities of childhood and of adolescence, so they could address the needs of their children and protect them) from any forms of abuse and exploitation,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said during the “Talakayang Makabata” press conference held at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Diliman, Quezon City.
Dumlao cited that one of the department’s programs to capacitate parents is the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program, which was institutionalized under Republic Act (RA) 11908 in 2022.
The PES Program assists parents and parent-substitutes by providing them with knowledge and skills on parenting to be able to respond to parental duties and responsibilities in the areas of early childhood development, behavior management of younger and older children, husband-wife relationships, prevention of child abuse, health care, and other challenges of parenting.
“I’d like to mention that one specific module in the PES is ‘Keeping your child safe from abuse.’ So, sa pamamagitan po niyan, nababahaginan po natin ng impormasyon ang mga magulang. At the same time, natuturuan natin sila kung papaano ba magabayan yung kanilang mga anak na ma-address nga yung mga specific issues na kinakaharap nila. In so doing, ma-prevent yung mga pagsasagawa ng anumang uri ng pang-aabuso sa mga bata (Through this, parents are informed. At the same time, we teach them how they can guide their children to address the specific issues they are facing. In doing so, we prevent the different kinds of child abuse),” Dumlao said.
Aside from PES, she said, the DSWD also capacitates the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries in family development sessions (FDS) on how to strengthen family ties, which is fundamental in providing an enabling environment for children to grow and reach their full potential.
In terms of rehabilitation and recovery for victim-survivors of abuse, she said the DSWD provides packages of interventions in its centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs) for children in need of special protection.
Among the interventions provided are psychosocial care; psychosocial counseling; referral to medico-legal examinations; legal and paralegal assistance; and psychological/ psychiatric tests.
The DSWD also implements the Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP), a comprehensive program that ensures adequate recovery and reintegration services are provided to victim-survivors of trafficking.
Joining as panelists in the Talakayang Makabata were Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) Executive Director Undersecretary Angelo Tapales; National Youth Commission (NYC) commissioner-at-large Assistant Secretary Michelle Mae Gonzales; Maj. Meriel Editha Reyes of the Philippine National Police (PNP) - Women and Children Protection Center Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Division; and Tanya Criscita Manalo, child representative of the regional sub-committee for the welfare of children in Calabarzon.
The Talakayang Makabata is a media forum leading to the 32nd National Children's Month celebration in November, with the theme: Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protecting Children, Creating a Safe Philippines!
In 2023, the PNP - Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) reported 18,756 violence against children cases.
Tapales said CWC continues to champion the children as one of the country’s national priorities through a unified approach.
“A unified approach means that the government, parents, families, communities, and all other duty bearers – must work synchronously to ensure that children’s rights are respected and upheld at all times,” Tapales said.
“The children must always be at the core and the primary consideration in all the things we do and decide upon.”
On Aug. 6, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order 67 creating the Presidential Office for Child Protection to address rising threats to the welfare of Filipino children.
Tapales said to ensure that children can grow without the threat of violence or exploitation, the CWC has come out with key strategies that include realizing plans for children, strengthening and enacting key legislations, promoting social behavior change, and engaging with multi-sectoral partnerships. (With a report from Noemi Reyes/PNA)
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