Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11908)
The short title of Republic Act No. 11908 is "The Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act."
The State recognizes the sanctity of family life, protects and strengthens the family as a basic autonomous social institution and foundation of the nation, promotes the right of families to participate in policies affecting them, defends the right of children to assistance, proper care, nutrition, and special protection from neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other harmful conditions.
The PES Program primarily covers fathers, mothers, and parent-substitutes of children. Priority is given to parents or parent-substitutes with vulnerable children, such as children at risk, children in conflict with the law, children exposed to or involved in violence, solo parents, adolescent parents, and their respective parent-substitutes.
A child is defined as a person below eighteen (18) years of age or a person over eighteen but unable to fully take care or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination due to physical or psychosocial disability or condition.
A Parent-Substitute is a person other than the biological parent who has custody over a child and is primarily responsible for the child's care and physical, moral, and intellectual development, including foster care parents, legal guardians, and care providers, with the requirement of certification from the DSWD for surrogate parents and care providers.
The key principles include understanding parents' roles and needs, Filipino family dynamics, challenges of parenting, child development, preventing child abuse, building positive child behavior, health and nutrition, home management, maintaining a healthy environment, child safety during disasters, and investment in adolescents.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is primarily responsible, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Local Government Units (LGUs), and private organizations accredited by the DSWD.
The PES Program is implemented by cities and municipalities through their respective social welfare and development offices and LGUs. Parent effectiveness sessions are conducted in barangays according to schedules prepared annually by social welfare and LGU officers, including outreach methods such as home visits and distance learning via social media.
DSWD and partner agencies assist LGUs in training facilitators, who may include parents, social workers, health professionals, teachers, and private organizations, focusing on skills like mutual respect, goal setting with families, promoting children's rights, and preventing child abuse. LGUs also train personnel for program monitoring, evaluation, and data analysis.
In the first year, funds come from the current appropriations of the DSWD, DepEd, ECCD Council, DOH, DOJ, and DILG. Subsequently, funds are included in the General Appropriations Act. Costs related to parent effectiveness sessions and other expenses are charged against city and municipal appropriations or the Special Education Fund.
Compliance with the PES Program under this Act constitutes full and complete compliance with the PES component mandated under Republic Act No. 10410 (Early Years Act of 2013) and other government programs requiring PES for program coverage and entitlement.
If any part or provision is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect, as stated in the Separability Clause.
The Act took effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation, notwithstanding the non-issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations.