THE Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) is expanding its community-level interventions under Republic Act No. 11908, or the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program Act, to strengthen family structures and prevent youth delinquency across the city’s 182 barangays.
In an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio on August 31, 2026, CSWDO PES and Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities Training (Erpat) focal person Melvin Pilvira emphasized that institutionalized parenting programs serve as critical first-line defenses against emerging youth challenges, including school bullying, fraternity-related violence, and extreme risks such as campus shootings seen in international headlines.
"If prevention is better than cure, karon pa lang i-prevent na nato nga kung pwede dili na mahitabo sa Davao City (as early as now, let's prevent it so that, if possible, it won't happen here in Davao City)," Pilvira said, stressing that proactive parental guidance at home remains the primary shield against violence among young individuals.
Program modules
Pilvira noted that social workers frequently step in when desperate parents seek to surrender troubled minors to government custody as a last resort, highlighting the need for earlier, community-level intervention.
He outlined the city's dual-track approach, beginning with the Parent Effectiveness Service.
The initiative utilizes a 13-module core curriculum covering parental roles and responsibilities, child development, special needs care, disaster readiness, and "digital parenting." The digital module equips parents to monitor online activities, manage social media usage, and guard against digital risks such as gaming exploitation.
For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the CSWDO coordinates with its OFW Family Welfare and Crisis Center to conduct online distance-parenting consultations.
Alongside PES, the bureau implements the Erpat program, a specialized nine-module framework tailored specifically for fathers and male guardians. Erpat focuses on active paternity, shared child-rearing duties, positive discipline, and domestic violence prevention.
"Mao nay itudlo nato kay papa nga naa dapat quality time between husband and wife… para makita sa ilang mga anak na harmonious and ilang pagpuyo, ug dili makahuna-huna og daotan ang ilang mga anak," Pilvira explained during the broadcast.
(That is what we should teach fathers—that there should be quality time between husband and wife… so that their children see that they live harmoniously, and the children won't think of doing anything bad)
He added that child-rearing and domestic discipline are shared obligations between husbands and wives, rather than being borne solely by mothers.
Community rollout
To date, the CSWDO has deployed 105 trained PES facilitators across its 15 administrative district offices. The bureau collaborates with barangay councils, public and private schools, and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to conduct module sessions during community assemblies and campus meetings.
Pilvira urged parents experiencing familial strain to seek early intervention through their local barangay halls, CSWDO district offices, or the official CSWDO Facebook page for family counseling and psychosocial support. GRS
