Law Summary
Declaration of Policy
- Recognizes the sanctity of family life and protects the family as a fundamental social institution.
- Promotes family solidarity and total development.
- Advocates for family participation in policy making affecting them.
- Defends children’s rights to proper care, nutrition, protection from neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other harmful conditions.
Coverage
- Targets fathers, mothers, and parent-substitutes responsible for child care.
- Prioritizes vulnerable children’s parents and parent-substitutes including those with children at risk, in conflict with law, exposed to violence, solo or adolescent parents, and their guardians.
Definitions
- Child: Person below 18 years or incapable of self-care due to disability.
- Module: Written component for specific sessions completing the program.
- PES Program: Training program for parents and substitutes on parenting covering child development, behavior, relationships, abuse prevention, health, and more.
- Parent-Substitute: Non-biological custodians such as foster parents or legal guardians certified by DSWD.
- Surrogate Parent: Adult caregiver acting as substitute parent without legal authority.
Establishment of the PES Program
- Established to enhance parental skills for child rights, development, and education.
- Implemented nationwide via city and municipal LGUs.
- Modules developed by DSWD with various government agencies focusing on parenting roles, Filipino family dynamics, parenting challenges, child development, abuse prevention, behavior building, health, home and environmental management, disaster safety, and adolescent investment.
- Local contextualization allowed but must align with existing laws.
Research and Assessment
- DSWD and partners to conduct ongoing research for evidence-based improvements.
- Use analytical frameworks to evaluate program efficiency, resource use, and sustainability.
- LGUs to evaluate participation rates and children’s feedback on parents.
Implementation Tools
- Conducted at barangay level through social welfare offices.
- Sessions scheduled annually and may include home visits.
- Use of innovative training methods such as modular packages, social media, and distance learning encouraged.
- Accredited private organizations may implement the program.
- Compliance with PES under related laws is recognized as full adherence.
Implementing Agencies and Responsibilities
- Joint responsibility of national agencies, LGUs, NGOs, and private organizations.
- DSWD leads in family welfare and program updates.
- DepEd, ECCD, SGCs, DOH integrate learning, health, and nutrition components.
- DOJ ensures child rights and legal protections.
- DILG provides awards and promotes module replication.
- LGUs coordinate facilities and provide incentives for participation.
- Families and communities are encouraged to support and participate.
Capacity-Building
- Agencies assist LGUs in training facilitators.
- Facilitators include parents, psychologists, social workers, teachers, and others.
- Training focuses on respectful family engagement, goal setting, child rights promotion, and abuse prevention.
- LGUs trained on monitoring, evaluation, data collection, and action planning.
Development and Production of Manuals
- DSWD coordinates the preparation of PES Module Manuals within 3 months.
- Manuals integrate existing relevant modules and allow local adaptations.
Advocacy and Information Dissemination
- DSWD and partners conduct awareness campaigns on the PES Program benefits using community trainings and media platforms.
Appropriations
- Initial implementation funded from current agency budgets.
- Continuing funding included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
- Local session costs charged to LGU budgets or Special Education Fund.
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)
- DSWD and partners to issue IRR within 60 days of enactment.
- IRR effective 30 days after publication.
Separability Clause
- Invalid provisions will not affect the validity of the remaining law.
Repealing Clause
- Laws or issuances contrary or inconsistent with the Act are repealed or amended accordingly.
Effectivity
- Law effective 15 days after publication, regardless of IRR issuance.