Cebu steps up war on child abuse, adopts revised National Protection Protocol

MANDAUE CITY— In a major push to overhaul and strengthen its child welfare system, the Province of Cebu has officially adopted the National Protection Protocol, the country’s updated rules for handling cases of child abuse, neglect, exploitation, and discrimination, in a ceremonial launching and signing on July 17 in Mandaue City.

"With this launch, we reaffirm our commitment that child protection remains our utmost priority," declared Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Frederick Vida. "We make a promise today that through this ceremonial signing, child protection is always at the forefront of our policy-making and service."

Cebu became only the second province in the Philippines, following Cavite, to implement the Revised Protocol for the Case Management of Child Victims of Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, and Discrimination (CANE+D).

The milestone comes at a critical time when authorities nationwide are battling persistent threats against minors, ranging from domestic physical abuse to the alarmingly rampant growth of online exploitation.

"The revised protocol reinforces our shared commitment to prevent violence, respond effectively to threats, and place child protection at the heart of everything we do.  More importantly, it strengthens coordination among our social workers, law enforcement, health professionals, educators, and prosecutors to ensure a faster, more responsive referral system,” Cebu governor Pamela Baricuatro said. 

A growing crisis in numbers

The updated protocol lands against the backdrop of staggering data on child exploitation across the country and the region.  Data from the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) indicates that child rights violations remain stubbornly high, with 18,089 reported cases in 2024 alone—following 18,756 recorded in 2023.

Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) has emerged as a severe frontier. The Department of Justice (DOJ) handled roughly 2.72 million cyber tip-line reports in a single year.

At the local frontline, DSWD Field Office in Central Visayas recorded nearly 300 cases of violence against women and children in 2025, while assisting over 75 child victims of human trafficking and online sexual exploitation in recent years.

DSWD-7 officials noted that perpetrators increasingly view online exploitation as "easy money," commodifying vulnerable minors.

Unifying the frontline duty-bearers

Developed by the DOJ-chaired Committee for the Special Protection of Children (CSPC), the revised CANE+D protocol updates guidelines surrounding Republic Act No. 7610 (the Anti-Child Abuse Law) alongside newer statutory protections.

The revised framework aims to break down bureaucratic silos and establish a seamless, standardized referral system across key duty-bearers--barangay officials, teachers, and community health workers; Social workers, law enforcement agencies, state prosecutors, and local courts.

The Protocol outlines step-by-step procedures covering every stage of a victim's ordeal—from initial identification, reporting, and law enforcement investigation to court proceedings, psychological rehabilitation, and eventual community reintegration.

During the provincial launch in Mandaue City, Governor Pamela Baricuatro joined DOJ Secretary Frederick Vida to sign a memorandum of understanding solidifying Cebu's operational commitment.

Baricuatro highlighted that the streamlined workflow is urgent, noting recent high-profile incidents involving minors—including school shooting incidents in Tacloban City—that have drawn national scrutiny to the country's juvenile justice and child safety mechanisms.

DOJ Undersecretary Majken Anika Gran-Ong, Provincial Board Members Stanley Caminero and Neneth Reluya, alongside municipal mayors, vice mayors, and regional heads of national enforcement agencies, all of whom signed a shared "Wall of Commitment" to enforce child safety protocols across Cebu's cities and municipalities. (Photos: Capitol PIO)

DSWD-7 begins listing potential 4Ps beneficiaries for Cebu and Bohol

CEBU CITY -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Field Office 7 begins posting the list of potential beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang PilipinoProgram (4Ps) across various cities and municipalities in the provinces Cebu and Bohol.

DSWD-7 regional director, Shalaine Marie Lucero bared that the lists of potential beneficiaries are conspicuously displayed in areas such as the barangay halls and other public spaces for transparency and easy access to information for concerned families. Lucero encourages all listed households and the general public to review the posted information and comply with the registration requirements.

“The registration process is designed to be transparent, organized, and supportive. We are working closely with local governments to ensure that eligible families are properly assessed and assisted throughout the process.  With the lists are public notices outlining the step-by-step registration process, required documents, schedule, and designated venues for registration,” Lucero said.

DSWD-7 field staff, particularly the 4Ps City and Municipal Links, are closely coordinating with Local Government Units (LGUs) and barangay officials to ensure the orderly dissemination of information and smooth implementation of registration activities, Lucero added.

Lucero bared that families categorized as “poor” or “near-poor” in the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) database are eligible for the 4Ps registration if they meet key socio-demographic requirements. These include households with pregnant women, children up to age 18, or those experiencing intersecting vulnerabilities.

“Preference are given to families with a greater number of children, those with younger dependents who require sustained health and nutrition support, and those belonging to vulnerable sectors such as solo parents, persons with disabilities (PWD), Indigenous Peoples (IPs), senior citizens acting as primary caregivers, and families residing in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA),” Lucero shared.

This initiative is in line with the implementation of Republic Act No. 11315, or the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Act, wherein the 4Ps has adopted the CBMS as its Standardized Targeting System (STS).

DSWD-7 called on families officially identified through the CBMS as poor or near-poor are advised to prepare the following documents for validation and registration-- Birth certificates of children; Valid ID of the parent or guardian (e.g., PhilSys ID, UMID, Driver’s License, Voter’s ID, or any government-issued ID); Marriage certificate (if applicable); School ID or Certificate of Enrollment (for children currently attending school); Solo Parent ID / Persons with Disabilities (PWD) ID / other proof of vulnerability (if applicable); Affidavit of Guardianship or any legal proof of guardianship (if the caregiver is not the biological parent).

Under 4Ps policies and consistent with identity verification requirements, all household members must be registered in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) prior to registration. (Photos: DSWD-7)

 

DSWD-7 continues to conduct rounds of reach-out activities in Metro Cebu

CEBU CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7-Central Visayas continues to conduct rounds of reach-out activities across Metro Cebu to reach children, individuals, and families living in street situations through the Pag-abot Program.

With the establishment of the Pag-abot Processing Center (PCC), these reach-out operations have intensified, with support from partner stakeholders, including the Local Social Welfare and Development Offices and Anti-Mendicancy Offices of the highly urbanized cities.

DSWD-7 regional director, Shalaine Lucero said these street dwellers reached by DSWD are profiled and, with their consent, brought to the PCC where they are provided with appropriate care and interventions to prepare them for reintegration into their hometowns and communities.

The goal is to help them rebuild their lives and become productive members of society, Lucero said. The Pag-abot Program is one of DSWD’s flagship initiatives that aims to provide a better future for children, individuals, and families living on the streets through comprehensive social protection packages and interventions.

 

    PBBM inaugurated DSWD’s 3^rd Pag-Abot Processing Center in Liloan

Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to inclusive social protection, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. inaugurated the Pag-abot Processing Center (PPC) in Barangay Tayud, Liloan, Cebu, February 26 during his visit in Cebu of the same date.

This is the third PPC in Central Visayas that provides comprehensive social protection services for children, individuals, and families in street situations while awaiting reintegration.  “The facility will cater to the three major cities in Cebu—Cebu City, Mandaue City and Talisay City to ensure the welfare of Families and Individuals in Street Situations (FISS),” DSWD secretary Rex Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian emphasized that the agency will link beneficiaries to long-term support programs, including economic assistance, livelihood opportunities, educational support, and other social protection services, to prevent FISS from returning to street situations.

Gatchalan shared that in Cebu, there are more than 600 homeless individuals have been recorded by the DSWD which is implementing the Pag-Abot Program to help families and individuals in street situations.  The program provides health services, food, clothing, psychosocial and livelihood support, temporary housing, and family reintegration to help beneficiaries move toward stable and dignified lives.

DSWD secretary Gatchalian briefed President Marcos as they toured the Pag-Abot Processing Center, visiting the clinic, processing area for beneficiary assessment, profiling, biometrics, and clothing distribution, storage, and laundry area, kitchen and dining hall, administrative office, senior citizens’ room, isolation room, and prayer and activity areas.

The Center is equipped with clinics, regular rooms, rooms with individual toilets and baths, a communal comfort room with five toilets and four showers, an administrative office, an activity area, a prayer room, a kitchen and dining area, a conference room, a profiling area, a baggage counter, a stockroom, and a laundry area with clotheslines.

The PPC facility can accommodate over 120 beneficiaries and it provides temporary shelter for about one month as part of a structured reintegration process aimed at restoring stability and creating opportunities.

The DSWD Field Office VII continues to conduct proactive reach-out operations for individuals and families in street situations across the Cities of Cebu, Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Naga, Talisay and Toledo — strengthening the government’s whole-of-nation approach to uplift lives and build safer, more inclusive communities. (Photos: DSWD7)

 

 

PBBM inspects the newly upgraded VDRC, inaugurates shelter for the homeless in Cebu

MANDAUE CITY -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited and inspected the newly upgraded Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu, February 26, declaring that the facility enables the national government to directly provide food packs and other aid and strengthen disaster response and preparedness across the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Ito ang unang panahon na ang national government ay nagbibigay nitong klaseng food pack. Noong nakaraan, eh kung saan-saan na lang kumukuha ‘yung mga biktima. Pero ngayon, nakakapag-provide na ang national government. Kaya maganda itong naging facility natin,” President Marcos said following his inspection of the state-of-the-art facility.

Marcos said that the VDRC is equipped with five new Mechanized Production System (MPS) lines designed and built specifically for the Philippines, costing some P117M for the upgrade that can now produce up to 30,000 family food packs (FFPs) per eight-hour shift, tripling its previous capacity.

The VDRC currently has four million food packs in storage, ready for distribution, but will continue producing until the facility reaches over 5 million FFPs.  Should there be unused FFPs, President Marcos assured that food packs nearing expiration are being distributed for free to those in need as part of the government’s aid system.

The new system not only accelerates production but also uses machine-operated vacuum sealing to prolong the shelf life of food packs, making them infestation-free and ready for long-term storage and prepositioning in disaster-prone regions.  The facility is serving several fire emergencies and other ongoing disaster response efforts, including areas affected by volcanic activity.

The Visayas hub complements services provided by the Luzon Disaster Resource Center in Pasay City. While a temporary hub operates in Mindanao, President Marcos announced plans to construct a permanent Mindanao Disaster Resource Center in Butuan City.

VDRC also supports programs such as Emergency Cash Transfer and Cash-for-Work, providing assistance to individuals earning below the minimum wage.   Funded through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, the upgraded MPS was completed in July 2025.

 

PBBM inaugurates Pag-abot Processing Center in Liloan

Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to inclusive social protection, PBBM also led the inauguration and launching of the Pag-abot Processing Center (PPC) in Barangay Tayud, Liloan, Cebu, February 26 after his inspection of the VDRC in Mandaue City.

This is the third PPC in Central Visayas that provides comprehensive social protection services for children, individuals, and families in street situations while awaiting reintegration.  It also supports the implementation of the Pag-Abot Program under Executive Order No. 52.

“The facility will cater to the three major cities in Cebu—Cebu City, Mandaue City and Talisay City to ensure the welfare of Families and Individuals in Street Situations (FISS),” DSWD secretary Rex Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian emphasized that the agency will link beneficiaries to long-term support programs, including economic assistance, livelihood opportunities, educational support, and other social protection services, to prevent FISS from returning to street situations.

PBBM toured the PPC and also inspected the 2^nd floor facilities, including the child-minding and multi-purpose areas, the lactation room, the house parents’ room, the male, female, and family sleeping quarters, and the communal bathrooms.

PBBM said his administration is fully committed to assist people living on the streets by providing health services, livelihood assistance, psychosocial support, food, clothing, temporary housing, and other interventions to improve their lives.

Gatchalan shared that in Cebu, there are more than 600 homeless individuals have been recorded by the DSWD which is implementing the Pag-Abot Program to help families and individuals in street situations.  The program provides health services, food, clothing, psychosocial and livelihood support, temporary housing, and family reintegration to help beneficiaries move toward stable and dignified lives.

The DSWD, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and local government units (LGUs), is reaching out to families in street situations to ensure their inclusion in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other social protection initiatives, under the Pag-Abot Program launched in 2023 and later institutionalized in 2024.

DSWD secretary Gatchalian briefed President Marcos as they toured the Pag-Abot Processing Center, visiting the clinic, processing area for beneficiary assessment, profiling, biometrics, and clothing distribution, storage, and laundry area, kitchen and dining hall, administrative office, senior citizens’ room, isolation room, and prayer and activity areas.

The Center is equipped with clinics, regular rooms, rooms with individual toilets and baths, a communal comfort room with five toilets and four showers, an administrative office, an activity area, a prayer room, a kitchen and dining area, a conference room, a profiling area, a baggage counter, a stockroom, and a laundry area with clotheslines.

The PPC facility can accommodate over 120 beneficiaries and it provides temporary shelter for about one month as part of a structured reintegration process aimed at restoring stability and creating opportunities.

The DSWD Field Office VII continues to conduct proactive reach-out operations for individuals and families in street situations across the Cities of Cebu, Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Naga, Talisay and Toledo — strengthening the government’s whole-of-nation approach to uplift lives and build safer, more inclusive communities.

At the same event, PBBM with DSWD officials Gatchalian and Innovations Group Undersecretary Edu Punay, Pag-Abot Program Deputy Manager Marilyn Moral, Congressman Duke Frasco, and Liloan Mayor Aljew Frasco. met the Walang Gutom Program 34 beneficiaries during their orientation on Nutrition Education Sessions (NES) at the PPC. (Photos: DSWD7)

 

 

DSWD-7 disburses over P1.981 billion in relief assistance to disaster victims in Cebu in 2025

CEBU—In estimated summary, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Regional Field Office VII has already disbursed over PPH 1.981 billion to about 1,074,543 million beneficiaries as of December 8, 2025, composed of families and individuals who were victims of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake, typhoons Tino and Verbena and other disasters and calamities that hit Cebu this year.  

DSWD-7 regional director Shalaine Marie Lucero, in a Media Year-end Briefing and Pasalamat event on December 9 at Golden Hotel & Suites, bared that DSWD-7 delivered these vital humanitarian services, from hot meals and food packs to cash assistance, for families and individuals affected by recent disasters across Central Visayas.

“These are multi-faceted response operations for immediate relief, temporary shelter assistance, and psychosocial services in coordination with local government units (LGUs) and inter-agency partners in the region,” Lucero said. 

The amount disbursed are for family food packs, family and modular tents, Hygiene Kits, Family Kits, Clothing Kits, Kitchen Kits, and other essential relief items. They also included emergency cash assistance transfers, cash assistance and disbursements for burial and other services, including purchases of Mobile Kitchen meals, Lucero bared.

Lucero added that DSWD-7 has also deployed key response vehicles to support operations for the 6.9-magnitude earthquake and Typhoon Tino. The Mobile Command Center facilitated field coordination, while the Water Tanker Unit and Water Filtration System ensured clean and safe water for affected communities.

Lucero also said the DSWD field offices in regions 6, 8, 4A, 10, 11 and NCR augmented its Mobile Kitchens, serving hot meals to displaced families. For the earthquake response, a total of 178,117 meals costing ₱7,124,680.00 were distributed, while 65,213 meals costing ₱2,608,520.00 were served during Typhoon Tino operations.  “To sustain meal production, 107 DOLE TUPAD workers were hired as cooks,” Lucero shared.

Lessons learned, challenges faced in DSWD’s humanitarian services

At the “Kukabildo with RD SHA,” Lucero stressed the importance of strategically prepositioning goods across the country to ensure readiness during stronger typhoons and unpredictable weather disturbances, with priority given to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, including island and coastal regions, to ensure initial supply of relief goods before disasters.

The prepositioning of goods helps mitigate the impact of impossible bridges, congested roads, and isolated ports during disaster response, “The need for immediate availability of goods during disaster response, is very crucial, especially when local government units (LGUs) lack sufficient resources,” Lucero said.

Evidenced or data-based disaster planning is a must in disaster response, Lucero noted that targeting families and individuals who are victims of calamities and disasters for government relief and assistance become easier an efficient when demographic/planning tools are in place.

“The biggest challenge we face in our humanitarian work is the politics in our country.  The changes in the national and local executive’s leadership hamper the continuity of our services and inter-agency collaborations that have been in placed through the years,” Lucero said.

However, Lucero admitted that no matter how the political system in the country behaves, the DSWD has managed to professionalize and put into a nationwide humanitarian system that has been proven to work efficiently and effectively in the delivery of the department’s various programs, services and assistance to alleviate poverty in the country. (Photos: MBCNewman)

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. provides P27.6M humanitarian support for disaster response effort in PH

MANILA, Philippines-- The U.S. government has provided an additional P13.8M worth of funding to deliver emergency shelter assistance and hygiene kits to more than 3,000 families, or approximately 15,800 persons, remaining in evacuation centers in Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, and Pampanga following severe flooding in July, bringing this latest assistance to P27.6M of U.S. humanitarian support for disaster response efforts in the Philippines.

Through this new tranche of funding, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed shelter-grade tarpaulins, shelter repair kits, and essential household supplies to families whose homes were damaged or destroyed.

Each shelter repair kit contains basic construction tools and materials to help families begin rebuilding their homes, promote health and sanitation and improve living conditions in evacuation centers. Families also received hygiene kits containing soap, buckets, and cleaning supplies. 

In addition to distributing relief items, IOM also monitored the condition of hygiene and sanitation facilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of affected families.

“Although flooding has subsided in most areas, thousands of families remaining in evacuation centers continue to face significant challenges. We are grateful to be working alongside our partners, including IOM, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and the DSWD to help affected families recover and rebuild,” U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Y. Robert Ewing said. 

The U.S. government earlier provided Php13.8 million ($250,000) in funding that supported WFP in delivering 47,700 DSWD family food packs that benefitted over 200,000 persons across Northern and Central Luzon.

U.S. military air assets, alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also supported Philippine-led operations to deliver 6,300 DSWD food packs for 18,000 persons in Batanes. (Photos: U.S. Embassy/ Google Images)