ACKNOWLEDGING that families affect the integral situation of the child, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) is extending comprehensive assistance to children at risk, abused, or in conflict with the law, an official said.
Mae Aquino, head of the CSWDO’s Planning Information, Research, and Communication Section, said during the I-Speak Media forum that they make sure that all corners of the children’s needs are addressed.
“We have managed cases where comprehensive services were given to the children and these also benefitted their families,” Aquino said.
She said that some of the parents of children were referred to the sustainable livelihood program of the CSWDO.
She said that primarily, the cases were referred through the hotlines and walk-in reports.
Aquino said that as of the 2023 data, the Kean Gabriel hotline received 128 calls, and 37 of these led to rescue, while the rest were prank calls.
She said that their office could tell that these calls were “pranks” because their team checks on the area reported.
Regardless of the propensity of people to make such prank calls, Aquino said that they always check information relayed to them.
“Although there are possibilities, we do not take risks not to check on the reported area just because it seemed to be a prank, all of the calls are attended,” Aquino said.
Aside from Kean Gabriel Hotline, the Quick Response Team for Children’s Concern (QRTCC) in 2023 also catered 266 clients, while a total of 138 walk-in clients are also attended in districts.
Aquino said while the sum of these numbers is small compared to the population of children in Davao City, this is still quite a number for them because their goal is really to make sure that in Davao City no children will be abused and none of them will be left behind.
She said that there is no room for complacency in extending services to children, be it in their residential care facilities or the community.
“We are not complacent in our intervention, it is not enough that it is available. We are asking whether or not it is working or giving behavioral change to our recipients. Is it giving behavioral change to our duty bearers?” she said.
She said that as they see that the problems of children with their families are rooted in economic challenges for the family, they are keen on pushing for more employment opportunities for the parents so that children will not suffer such challenges. CIO
