Gatchalian presses DSWD, DILG to enforce parenting law to address bullying in schools

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is calling for the full implementation of the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Act, or Republic Act No. 11908, to help reduce bullying in schools.

During a Senate hearing on school violence, Gatchalian urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to enforce the program through local government units (LGUs).

“I am urging the DSWD, together with the DILG, to issue a directive to operationalize the PES at the LGU level. It is really the local government units that will operationalize this. The DSWD and the Department of Education will create the modules but the LGUs are in charge of organizing PES, so it needs DILG intervention,” the senator said.

The principal author and co-sponsor of the law stressed the need for action at the local level.

“The DSWD Central together with the DepEd should instruct the local city or municipal social welfare development office to organize the program or else hindi mamo-mobilize and Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act,” he added.

The PES Act aims to help parents and guardians improve their skills in parenting, protect children’s rights, support early childhood development, and promote education. Under the law, cities and municipalities must implement the program through their social welfare offices.IMT