Baguio City — A strategic roadmap designed to prevent child abuse cases by transitioning from reactive care to proactive prevention is being ironed out by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

CSWDO chief Liza Bulayungan said the office has submitted recommendations to strengthen local child protection systems, including expanding the capacity of Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children to enable early detection and intervention at the grassroots level. The proposed roadmap also focuses on launching public education initiatives to increase community awareness, clarify reporting mechanisms and promote available support systems.

To assist vulnerable families, the office intends to provide targeted financial aid, counseling and education aimed at addressing underlying socio-economic challenges. The CSWDO also vowed to continue collaborating with schools and child-focused non-governmental organizations to build safer environments and advocate for children’s rights.

Bulayungan emphasized that the coordinated, multi-sectoral approach aims to create a more responsive and protective environment for the city’s vulnerable citizens. She also said the office continues to monitor statistics to evaluate current social welfare interventions and strengthen community-level protection programs.

The measure is being conducted in partnership with other agencies, including Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and the Philippine National Police. A comprehensive care framework is also currently in place to manage existing cases, dividing critical tasks among the involved agencies to ensure victims receive holistic care.

Under the response framework, specific responsibilities are assigned to each agency based on specialization. The CSWDO manages long-term rehabilitation by providing financial and educational aid, temporary shelter, livelihood assistance, counseling and psychological first aid. BGHMC leads the immediate medical response, which involves safety assessments, physical and medicolegal examinations, psychiatric referrals and psychological evaluations. The police handle the legal and security aspects, including transporting victims for medical examinations, facilitating sworn statements and maintaining continuous case monitoring.