PBBM signs EO establishing one-stop system for child rights violations on human rights day

DAVAO CITY – As the country marked Human Rights Day, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the establishment of a centralized system for reporting child rights violations through Executive Order (EO) No. 79. Signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on December 6, the EO institutionalizes the Mahalin at Kalingain Ating mga Bata (MAKABATA) Program and the MAKABATA Helpline 1383.

The program aims to create a one-stop system to address and monitor issues concerning children in need of special protection (CNSPs). It will provide services such as reporting, rescue, relief, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

Under EO 79, CNSPs include persons below 18 years old or those 18 and older with physical or mental conditions preventing them from fully caring for themselves. These children are particularly vulnerable to abuse, neglect, exploitation, violence, and discrimination.

The EO also lists specific circumstances affecting CNSPs, such as:

• Child labor
• Online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC)
• Child sexual abuse or exploitation materials (CSAEM)
• Child trafficking
• Children in conflict with the law
• Children living in alternative care or with HIV

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will spearhead the program, while the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) will coordinate and monitor its implementation.

The MAKABATA Helpline 1383, which operates 24/7, will serve as the primary reporting channel. The EO mandates that all reports received through the helpline be immediately acted upon or referred to relevant government agencies, local government units, or private partners for appropriate action.

“Through the MAKABATA Program and Helpline 1383, we aim to provide faster, more coordinated responses to protect vulnerable children and ensure their safety, dignity, and development,” the EO emphasized.