The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) emphasized the importance of preventive measures in addressing violence against children (VAC) during the “Talakayang Makabata” press conference on Friday.

“Prevention is key to ensuring that our children are protected from abuse. One way to achieve this is by enhancing parents’ capacity to care for their children and to understand the complexities of childhood and adolescence,” DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said.

“This enables them to meet their children’s needs and prevent all forms of abuse and exploitation,” added the DSWD assistant secretary during the event held at the Philippine Information Agency in Quezon City.

Dumlao highlighted one of the department’s initiatives, the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program, which was institutionalized under Republic Act 11908 in 2022.

The PES Program equips parents and guardians with the knowledge and skills to fulfill their responsibilities in areas such as early childhood development, behavior management, husband-wife relationship, prevention of child abuse, healthcare and other parenting challenges.