HOW ARE CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES MANAGED IN THE PHILIPPINES?

HOW ARE CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES MANAGED IN THE PHILIPPINES?

There’s an old saying that “too many cooks could spoil the broth.” Sadly, that seems to describe the state of child protection services in the Philippines.

There are many agencies—each with noble intentions and specific mandates—but the coordination among them often looks more like a relay race without a baton than a symphony with a conductor. From what I see, everybody is doing something, but nobody seems to be leading the whole effort.

Who’s really in charge?

Officially, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the lead implementing agency for child protection programs. It operates rescue and rehabilitation services, shelters, and reintegration programs for abused, neglected, or exploited children.

Its legal mandate comes mainly from Republic Act No. 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. Under this law, the DSWD runs Child Protection Units (CPUs)—often located in hospitals or LGUs—to handle cases involving abuse or neglect. These CPUs work with medical staff, social workers, and law enforcement.

But here’s where the confusion begins. The Department of Justice (DOJ) also has a hand in this through the Committee for the Special Protection of Children (CSPC). Created under Executive Order No. 53 (2011), the CSPC coordinates the investigation and prosecution of child-related cases. Its members include the DSWD, PNP, DepEd, DOH, and other agencies.

In theory, this structure should ensure strong collaboration. In practice, however, coordination still breaks down at the ground level.

Where the police come in

I personally believe that the Philippine National Police (PNP)—particularly its Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC)—should take the lead in the first response.

Why? Because when a child is found in danger, it’s the police who arrive first, not the social workers or prosecutors. The PNP is often the first to see the real situation—whether it’s child trafficking, abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Once a child is rescued, that’s when the DSWD should take over for custody, care, and rehabilitation. The DOJ, through the CSPC, would later step in to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted.

But even this seemingly straightforward handoff—from police to social worker to prosecutor—is not always clear-cut. Who ensures continuity of care? Who keeps track of the case file when it moves from one agency to another? How fast does this turnover happen?

These are practical questions, not just legal ones. Because in the time it takes to coordinate, the child—who should be the priority—could be left waiting, confused, and traumatized.

What happens to rescued children?

Here’s another gap that worries me: after rescue, where do the children go?

Are there enough foster parents or temporary shelters? How are foster families selected? Are they properly trained or compensated?

According to UNICEF and DSWD data, there are only about 1,000 licensed foster parents in the country—far fewer than the number of children needing care. Many orphanages are run by NGOs or faith-based groups, and most of them struggle with funding and overcrowding.

Even the DSWD’s residential care facilities, though well-intentioned, are often under-resourced and understaffed. The ideal model is to place children in family-like environments, but that’s not always possible due to limited foster families.

So we must ask: is there a national plan to expand foster care capacity? And if not, why not?

The system behind the system

Here’s how it’s supposed to work:

  • PNP WCPC – Conducts rescue operations and initial investigations.

  • DSWD – Provides temporary shelter, psychosocial services, and rehabilitation.

  • DOJ CSPC – Ensures legal follow-through and coordination across agencies.

  • DepEd – Implements child protection policies in schools.

  • DOH – Provides medical and psychological evaluation through CPUs.

  • LGUs – Run local councils for the protection of children.

This structure looks comprehensive on paper. But if “too many cooks” don’t follow the same recipe, the outcome will always be inconsistent.

What could improve coordination?

If I may suggest, we need a unified digital case-tracking system—something that securely records each child’s case as it moves from one agency to another. The DSWD already uses electronic case management tools, but these aren’t yet linked to the PNP or DOJ systems.

Imagine a Child Protection Management Information System (CPMIS) that could track every child’s journey—from rescue to rehabilitation to reintegration—without losing data or accountability.

This could be developed locally. After all, we already have the technical expertise that built the National Crime Information System (NCIS) and other government databases.

Systems thinking for the barangay

At the community level, we could establish Child Protection and Dignity Hubs—small, multi-sector centers linking barangay officials, social workers, and health personnel. These hubs could also use digital tools for community monitoring and trauma-informed care.

Cooperatives, faith-based groups, and civic organizations could help manage these shelters under DSWD standards, ensuring that help is available closer to where children actually live.

Child protection is everyone’s job—but someone has to lead. In my view, that should start with the PNP as first responder, move to the DSWD for care, and end with the DOJ for justice—all connected by a shared data backbone and clear protocols.

Until then, our children remain at risk of falling through the cracks of bureaucracy.

It’s time to stop letting too many cooks spoil the broth—and start letting one coordinated kitchen serve what our children truly deserve: safety, dignity, and justice.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 04-23-2026

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