Law Summary
Declaration of Policy and Objectives
- Recognizes the sanctity and centrality of family life as the nation's foundation.
- Protects children from neglect, abuse, and exploitation.
- Promotes family participation in policy-making affecting families.
- Seeks to enhance parents’ and parent-substitutes’ knowledge and skills for optimal child development.
Coverage
- Covers biological parents, adoptive parents with legal orders, and parent-substitutes including foster parents, legal guardians, surrogate parents, and care providers.
- Priority given to solo and adolescent parents, and those caring for vulnerable children such as children at risk, in conflict with the law, disabled, or from indigenous communities.
Definitions
- Clarifies terms like "Adolescent," "Child Abuse," "PES Program," "Parent-Substitute," and "PES Facilitator," among others.
- Defines scope of parental duties and child protections.
- Establishes roles of agencies and individuals involved in PES Program.
Parent Effectiveness Service Program
- Established to assist parents/carers to fulfill their roles, promote child rights, and foster child development.
- Composed of modular subjects covering marriage, child development, health, behavior management, and abuse prevention.
- Delivered through trained facilitators supervised by local social welfare offices.
PES Modules
- Developed collaboratively by DSWD with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders.
- Modules cover parenting roles, Filipino family dynamics, parenting challenges, child development, abuse prevention, behavior building, health, home and environmental management, disaster response, and adolescent investment.
- Allow local adaptations accounting for culture, geography, and child welfare.
- Subject to ongoing review and updates.
PES Facilitators
- Selected and trained by Local Social Welfare and Development Offices (LSWDOs).
- Must have relevant education, experience, positive attitude, and facilitation skills.
- Roles include conducting sessions, assessing participant needs, coordinating resources, and providing referrals.
- May include social workers, educators, health professionals, and parent leaders.
Implementation
- Conducted by all cities and municipalities through LSWDOs.
- Utilizes various methodologies to engage participants.
- Includes baseline assessments, motivational tools for attendance, and monitoring for progress.
- Distance learning and media tools are integrated to broaden reach.
- Private organizations may implement PES under MOA with LGUs.
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Annual reporting by LSWDOs to Local Chief Executives.
- Program review workshops led by DSWD.
- Impact evaluations every three years starting 2027.
Program Framework and Research
- A framework will be created to guide program implementation and measure outcomes.
- Research initiatives to improve policies and best practices.
- LGUs encouraged to develop data-driven evaluation metrics.
Capacity Building and Advocacy
- Training manuals and modules developed for facilitators.
- Regular updates for PES personnel on current parenting trends.
- Public awareness campaigns via multiple media platforms and community activities.
- Engagement with private organizations and civil society organizations.
Implementing Agencies and Responsibilities
- DSWD leads program development, technical assistance, and database management.
- DepEd, ECCD Council, DOJ, DOH, DILG support through integration in curricula, legal safeguards, and incentives.
- LGUs manage local implementation, facilitator training, supervision, and community engagement.
- Feedback mechanisms established to incorporate community input.
Appropriations
- Initial funding from existing agency budgets.
- Subsequent funding from the General Appropriations Act.
- Expenses may be charged to city/municipal appropriations or Special Education Funds.
Final Provisions
- Separability clause preserves unaffected provisions if others are invalidated.
- Repeals inconsistent laws.
- IRR takes effect 30 days after publication with filing in the University of the Philippines Law Center.