Implementing Rules of Parent Effectiveness Service Act

Policy, objective, and program focus

Section 3 declares State policy to recognize the sanctity of family life, protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution and foundation of the nation, strengthen solidarity, and promote total development of families.
Section 3 declares policy to defend children’s right to assistance, including proper care, health and nutrition, education, and special protection from neglect, abuse, cruelty, bullying, discrimination, exploitation, and other prejudicial conditions.
Section 4 sets the objective to clarify the scope and implementation of the PES Program Act and to provide and expand knowledge and skills of parents and parent-substitutes on parenting to fulfill parental duties and responsibilities for optimal child growth and development.
Section 7 establishes the PES Program to strengthen parent-child relationships, increase parents’ awareness and understanding of their roles, and develop parental values, attitudes, and behavior.

Coverage: who are served, priority groups

The PES Program primarily covers fathers and mothers of children and parent-substitutes who have direct care, custody and parental authority.
Section 5 covers biological/birth parents (fathers and mothers).
Section 5 covers adoptive parents who have adoption degree/order from the court, DSWD, or NACC.
Section 5 defines parent-substitutes to include foster parents (with foster care license issued by DSWD or NACC), legal guardians (with appropriate court order), surrogate parents (with certification from the concerned DSWD Field Office or SWAD Office), and care providers (with certification from the concerned DSWD Field Office or SWAD Office).
Section 5 requires priority for:
- solo parents and/or their parent-substitutes;
- adolescent parents and their parents and/or parent-substitutes; and
- parents and/or parent-substitutes with vulnerable children and children in need of special protection, including children at risk, children in conflict with the law, victims/involved in violence in homes and communities, children in emergencies/crisis situations caused by natural and human-made disasters and civil strife/armed conflicts, children involved in the worst forms of child labor, children with disabilities/special needs, children of OFWs, and children of indigenous communities.

Key definitions for implementation

Section 6 defines “Act” as Republic Act No. 11908 (Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act).
Section 6 defines “Adolescent” as young people between ten (10) to nineteen (19) years.
Section 6 defines “Child” as any person under eighteen (18) years of age, or any person eighteen (18) years of age or over who is unable to fully take care or protect oneself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of physical, mental and/or psychosocial disability or condition.
Section 6 defines “Child Abuse” to include psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment; acts by deeds or words that debase, degrade or demean the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child; unreasonable deprivation of basic needs for survival such as food and shelter; or failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting in serious impairment of growth and development or in permanent incapacity or death.
Section 6 defines “Child Development Center (CDC)” as a facility providing early childhood care and development services for children ages 0–4, previously known as a Day Care Center.
Section 6 defines “Distance PES Program” as PES sessions conducted through modalities other than face-to-face interaction, such as development of social media cards, online sessions, and chat groups.
Section 6 defines “Foster family” as a person duly licensed by DSWD or NACC to provide foster care.
Section 6 defines “Local Government Unit (LGU)” as a province, city, municipality, including its barangays.
Section 6 defines “LSWDO” as the Provincial, City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office or similar entities responsible for delivering social welfare and development services in their respective LGUs.
Section 6 defines “National Authority for Child Care (NACC)” as a one-stop quasi-judicial agency on alternative child care created under Republic Act No. 11642.
Section 6 defines “Participant” as parents and parent-substitutes attending PES Modules sessions and other activities under the PES Program.
Section 6 defines “PES Facilitator” as a trained and competent person who ensures the quality of conduct of PES Modules.
Section 6 defines “PES Module” as a component subject consisting of written material taught in a specified number of sessions that, together with other modules, counts toward completion of the PES Program.
Section 6 defines “Private organization” as a social welfare and development agency registered, licensed, and accredited by DSWD, including non-government and faith-based organizations with a parent education program and other similar activities related to the PES Program.
Section 6 defines “Registered Social Welfare Officer (RSWO)” as a person who possesses a license as a Registered Social Worker (RSW) issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Section 6 defines “Surrogate Parent” as any adult member of the family or extended family or a caregiver who chooses to act as a substitute parent to a child not legally under his/her parental authority or care.
Section 6 defines “PES Program” to provide and expand parents’ and parent-substitutes’ knowledge and skills on parenting, covering areas such as early childhood development, behavior management of younger and older children, husband-wife relationships, prevention of child abuse, health care, and other parenting challenges.

PES Program establishment and modules

Section 7 establishes the PES Program to:
- assist parents and parent-substitutes to strengthen knowledge and skills in responding to parental duties to foster a positive parent-child relationship and protect and promote children’s right and well-being, foster positive child development, and advance educational progress;
- increase awareness and understanding of self that affects role performance; and
- develop and enhance parental values, attitudes, and behavior in fulfilling duties and responsibilities toward children, family, and community.
Section 7 provides that the PES Program is composed of PES Modules developed and enhanced by the DSWD in coordination with relevant government agencies.
Section 7 authorizes local implementation through cities and municipalities, through their respective LSWDOs and LGUs.
Section 8 requires DSWD, in consultation with attached agencies, to develop and enhance PES Modules in coordination with DepEd, the ECCD Council, SGCs, DOH, DOJ, and DILG.
Section 8 allows the private sector, civil society/NGOs/faith-based organizations, professional/academic institutions, and selected LGUs to be consulted for development of specific PES Modules.
Section 8 authorizes LGUs to modify PES Modules to adapt to local context, provided the core remains consistent with existing laws and embodies the stated principles.
Section 8 prescribes module principles including:
- Parents and Parent Substitutes and their Roles, Responsibilities, and Needs;
- The Filipino Family;
- Challenges and Victories of Parenting;
- Child Development;
- Keeping Children Safe from Abuse;
- Building the Child’s Positive Behavior;
- Health and Nutrition;
- Home Management;
- Keeping a Healthy Physical Environment for the Child;
- Keeping Children Safe in Terms of Disasters, Emergencies or Calamities; and
- Investment in Adolescents.
Section 8 requires ongoing review and update of module principles by DSWD in coordination with concerned agencies and mandates an annual program review and evaluation by DSWD to determine accomplishments, challenges, and recommendations.
Section 8 permits LGUs to design and contextualize their own modules, subject to approval by DSWD and consistency with existing laws and the principles.
Section 7 provides that PES Facilitators are identified/selected, trained, and supervised by LSWDOs to conduct modules in sessions and other modalities as appropriate based on learning needs.

PES facilitators, roles, and training criteria

Section 9 requires PES Facilitators to be identified, trained, and supervised by LSWDOs and LGUs.
Section 9 requires PES Facilitators to be directly supervised by the designated Local Social Welfare Officer overseeing PES implementation in the LGU.
Section 9 requires DSWD, DepEd, DOH, DOJ, DILG, and selected LGUs to develop criteria for potential PES Facilitators.
Section 9 provides that preferred qualification criteria include:
- a college degree or relevant training (social sciences such as psychology, social work, education, health, and others);
- previous work experience with children and families;
- no health/medical issues or condition per medical certificate;
- no derogatory record in the barangay or police;
- knowledge on Filipino family dynamics, parent rights and duties, child rights and duties, child development, health care, behavior management, and related areas;
- positive attitude showing warmth, patience, understanding, and gender- and culture-sensitive interactions, with creativity and openness to supervision and new ideas; and
- communication skills (verbal and written), facilitation skills for group discussions, teaching/learning methods, human relations skills, and coordination/networking skills.
Section 9 requires PES Facilitators to undergo assessment/in-depth interview and the required training before conducting PES sessions.
Section 9 mandates that DSWD, DILG, and other concerned national government agencies spearhead Training of Trainers, while trained LSWDOs train the PES Facilitators.
Section 9 enumerates PES Facilitators’ functions including assessing participants’ learning needs, adapting approaches to learning outcomes, stimulating discussions and participation, inviting resource persons, preparing quarterly session plans, ensuring objectives and key messages, monitoring and evaluating implementation, identifying participants needing other interventions, organizing participants into a support group, and coordinating with the LSWDO for mobilization of support and resources.
Section 9 identifies PES Facilitators as potentially including parents and parent-substitutes, educational psychologists, health professionals, social workers, teachers, ECCD facilitators, child development workers, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino parent leaders, and accredited private organizations and other professionals.

Implementation tools, sessions, and reporting cycles

Section 10 requires the PES Program to be implemented in every city and municipality through modules developed and enhanced by DSWD and rolled out in a number of sessions prescribed by DSWD and LGUs.
Section 10 requires LGUs to continuously implement the PES Program in Child Development Centers (CDCs) as part of the ECCD Program.
Section 10 provides that the PES Program may be established and delivered through various modes consistent with the Act and with DSWD approval.
Section 11 requires DSWD, in coordination with DepEd and the ECCD Council, DOH, DOJ, and DILG through LGUs, to develop and produce PES Module Manuals, including distance PES, within three (3) months from IRR effectivity.
Section 11 allows LGUs, in the interim, to use existing PES Modules for parent effectiveness sessions.
Section 11 requires assigned agencies to harmonize existing modules gathered from, among others, PES family development sessions under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Family Support Program of the ECCD Council to enhance PES Module Manuals.

PES implementing tools and selection mechanics

Section 12 requires implementation by cities and municipalities through their respective LSWDOs.
Section 12 requires at least one Registered Social Welfare Officer (RSW Officer) to oversee and monitor PES implementation under the supervision of the head of the LSWDO.
Section 12 requires use of implementing tools/strategies including public awareness and advocacy campaigns through barangay assemblies and community activities, integrating information on regular programs/services.
Section 12 allows participants to be identified/referred or to apply directly to the PES Facilitator or LSWDO through, among others: barangay officials/community leaders/CDC workers/community groups; NGOs/faith-based/civic sectors; parents and parent-substitutes through person-to-person contact or sharing between PES and CDC Family Support Program participants/graduates; voluntary interested applicants; and identification of parents/parent-substitutes with vulnerable children by the LSWDO.
Section 12 requires baseline assessment of potential participants by the PES Facilitator and/or the designated RSW Officer as basis for a master list, including assessment of self-awareness, husband-wife relationship, and parent-child relationship; it authorizes home visits to gather additional information to enhance program effectiveness.
Section 12 requires preparation of a master list of PES participants and mandates that selection proceeds notwithstanding social status, disability, gender/sexual orientation, and ethnicity.
Section 12 requires PES Modules to be conducted regularly with schedules/intervals approved by the concerned LSWDO; it requires PES Facilitators to prepare a session plan for each module based on assessed learning needs and agreed content, schedule, time, and frequency to ensure attendance, participation, and completion of modules.
Section 12 encourages attendance by both father and mother and permits motivational approaches such as incentives and food packs to ensure attendance of fathers.
Section 12 requires regular monitoring of progress toward goals, objectives, learning outputs, and outcomes.

Methods and alternative delivery

Section 12 requires PES Facilitators to use various methodologies to maximize participation and sustain interest, including role plays, case situation analysis, audio-visuals, games, and arts and crafts.
Section 12 permits additional strategies such as reaching parents for skill sharing and support through home visits; it allows field exposures to model parenting programs.
Section 12 provides that the Distance PES Program may be used to raise awareness through platforms such as social media and chat groups, and through radio, television, broadcast tools, and printed materials such as posters, flyers, and newspapers.

Sustainability and compliance with other parent education

Section 12 authorizes LGUs and LSWDOs to undertake sustainability strategies including incentives/awards/recognitions, convening general assemblies, enabling PES graduates to share good practices/testimonies, and other strategies emphasizing the Act’s objective.
Section 12 authorizes private organizations accredited by DSWD to implement the PES Program in coordination with the concerned LGU through a Memorandum of Agreement, provided there is clear partnership and coverage within the LGU’s jurisdiction.
Section 12 requires accredited private organizations to regularly submit reports to the concerned LGU for reference in assessing actual implementation.
Section 12 requires PES Program delivery under the Act to constitute full and complete compliance with the parent education component incorporated under Republic Act No. 10410 (Early Years Act of 2013) and with other government programs requiring delivery of PES as a prerequisite for coverage and entitlement.

Monitoring, evaluation, and research requirements

Section 13 requires LSWDOs to prepare and submit annually to the Local Chief Executive a complete program and schedule of parent effectiveness sessions covering all barangays in the jurisdiction, including analysis and recommendations.
Section 13 requires the DSWD to spearhead a Program Review and Evaluation Workshop (PREW) to determine gains, gaps, and challenges; it requires PREW results to be included in annual monitoring of social welfare law implementation.
Section 13 requires the PES Program to be included in the Service Delivery Capacity Competency Assessment (SDCCA).
Section 13 requires an Impact Evaluation by DSWD, in coordination with concerned agencies and LGUs in cooperation with civil society and private organizations and the children, parents and parent-substitutes, conducted every three (3) years starting CY 2027.
Section 15 requires DSWD, with coordinated agencies through LGUs, to conduct research on effective and evidence-based policies and best practices on parent effectiveness, child welfare/protection, child development, adolescence, family, health, education, and social protection, and it enjoins participation of children, parents, and parent-substitutes.
Section 15 requires LGUs to continuously evaluate PES effectiveness using data-driven metrics including participation rate and children’s feedback of their parent/parent-substitutes.
Section 15 requires LGUs through LSWDOs to submit implementation reports to the Local Chief Executive and copy furnish the concerned DSWD Field Office, and requires DSWD Field Offices to submit consolidated reports to DSWD Central Office with analysis and recommendations.

Capacity building, advocacy, and implementing roles

Section 16 requires DSWD, DepEd, DOH, DOJ, DILG, and LGUs through LSWDOs to assist cities and municipalities in developing competencies of PES Facilitators through a Facilitator’s Manual.
Section 16 authorizes LGUs to use Facilitator tools to assist in monitoring and evaluating PES effectiveness.
Section 16 encourages other training mechanisms including home and modular training packages deployable through social media and virtual platforms.
Section 16 requires capacity-building for DSWD to include training, workshops, and technical assistance to DSWD Field Offices and involved staff to ensure knowledge and competence for mandate implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, and it requires PES Modules to be enhanced, produced, and distributed to LGUs.
Section 16 requires capacity-building for LGUs/LSWDOs to focus on training, supervision, monitoring, evaluation of PES facilities, modules, and facilitator competence assessment, and it authorizes designation of personnel to gather, analyze, interpret data, and establish comprehensive action plans.
Section 16 requires capacity-building for PES Facilitators to focus on skills to connect with families respectfully and reciprocally, set goals, encourage adoption of behaviors and activities enhancing children’s development and early learning, promote children’s rights, and prevent child abuse and teenage pregnancy; LGUs/LSWDO/RSW Officer must spearhead continuing capacity-building activities.
Section 17 requires DSWD, in cooperation with relevant agencies, to regularly conduct public awareness campaigns promoting benefits and advantages of the PES Program through local training programs and tri-media and social media platforms.
Section 17 requires that National Family Week Celebration and other annual local and national celebrations related to PES Adoption and Alternate Child Care Week be utilized as venues for advocacy and dissemination.
Section 17 requires LGUs to include regular conduct of public awareness campaigns on effective parenting in their annual plans.
Section 18 establishes shared implementation as a whole-of-society approach involving national agencies, LGUs, NGOs, and private organizations promoting parental and community involvement.
Section 18 mandates DSWD to lead in developing the PES Program framework, provide technical assistance to Field Offices/LGUs/CSOs/private organizations, develop/enhance/produce/distribute PES Modules and PES Facilitator’s Manual, and issue circulars/guidelines; establish PES database and knowledge management; review and update programs; identify training gaps and ensure standards for LGUs; review/enhance and develop new modules; conduct policy review and recommendations; conduct research; and coordinate with DSWD attached agencies.
Section 18 mandates DepEd, ECCD Council, SGCs, and DOH to incorporate important principles on social services, early education, holistic learning development, health, and nutrition; provide supplementary learning and reference materials; and require DepEd to integrate age-appropriate content related to core principles into basic education curriculum.
Section 18 mandates DOJ to ensure PES guidance on non-discrimination and inclusion, right of life, survival and development, best interest of the child, and participation and respect for the view of the child, and to guarantee legal protection of all children.
Section 18 mandates DILG to provide annual recognition to outstanding LGUs for PES implementation and a mechanism for replication/adoption of modules by other LGUs through existing incentives and awards programs, and it authorizes DILG to issue guidelines for this.
Section 18 mandates LGUs to coordinate with relevant government agencies, provide incentives to parents/parent-substitutes based on active participation or high evaluation rates, select/train/supervise facilitators and fully implement and monitor/evaluate the PES Program, and establish feedback mechanisms for children, families, and communities to give comments and suggestions.
Section 18 requires families and communities to support the PES Program through participation in projects for the overall development of children.

Appropriations, separability, and repealing provisions

Section 19 provides that for the first year, funds necessary for responsibilities of DSWD, DepEd, ECCD Council, DOH, DOJ, and DILG must be sourced from their current appropriations.
Section 19 provides that thereafter, funds for continuing implementation must be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 19 requires costs for conducting parent effectiveness sessions and related expenses to be charged against respective appropriations of cities and municipalities or the Special Education Fund, as the case may be.
Section 20 establishes separability: invalid or unconstitutional parts of the IRR do not affect remaining provisions.
Section 21 establishes a repealing clause: all laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, or parts inconsistent with the Act are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.