MANILA – Amid the investigation on child abuse against a Pampanga-based care facility, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured the public that its field offices (FOs) will strictly monitor private care facilities across the country to guarantee the safety and welfare of its residents.
“’Yung mga (The) residential care facilities, we visit them once a semester, so that’s twice a year. Aside from that, we also have spot monitoring. And with everything happening right now, binigyan na rin namin ng instructions in general yung mga staff [sa field offices] na kapag nag-momonitor kayo, dapat ma-igi ‘yung pagmomonitor ninyo ng case management, masinsin (we gave instructions to our staff in the field offices to thoroughly monitor the case management),” Director Megan Manahan of the DSWD’s Standards Bureau said in a radio interview over the weekend.
Manahan explained that the DSWD has delegated its FOs to monitor the compliance of private care facilities based on the regulatory and standard-setting function of the agency.
The central office holds the sole responsibility of the processing and issuance of certificates for registration, license to operate, and accreditation of social welfare and development agencies through the HELPS (Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System) online portal.
Through this setup, Manahan said the FOs will be able to focus more on the monitoring of compliances because of their proximity to the care facilities.
Among the standards that DSWD social workers inspect during monitoring visits are physical safety, financial management, staffing and case management.
“With regard to residential care facilities, ang focus nyan is case management. Ibig sabihin nito kailangan iniinterview ‘yung mga bata, nag-fofocus group discussion para malaman kung ano ‘yung na-experience nila sa residential care facility, kung mabuti ba or may mga saloobin ba sila rito sa pag-aalaga sa kanila (the focus is on case management. They have to interview the children, to have focus-group discussions, to know their experiences in the residential care facility, if its good or if they have issues on how they are treated),” Manahan said.
On Wednesday, the Pampanga police’s Women and Children’s Protection Desk and the DSWD FO-Central Luzzon arrested Jeremy Ferguson, director of the New Life Baptist Church of Mexico, Pampanga, Inc., for violation of Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
Ferguson’s arrest came after the rescue of 160 children from his custody based on complaints of physical abuse, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, presence of fire hazards, mismanagement of funds, and non-compliance with the DSWD Registration, License to Operate and Accreditation standards. (PNA)