The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) promotes positive discipline or gentle parenting as a way to combat violence against children.
During a radio interview, Maria Susana Sugabaen of DSWD MIMAROPA shared that the department recently conducted an online learning discussion, dubbed “Payo, Hindi Palo,” as one of the kick-off activities for the celebration of National Children’s Month.
The training, joined by DSWD provincial staff, parents, and children, focused on ways to break disciplinary methods that may lead to child abuse, particularly with the growing influence of social media on children nowadays.
“Hindi na po natin talaga ine-encourage ang corporal punishment kasi it’s a form of abuse, kaya po talaga ang hina-highlight dito is ‘yung positive parenting…[kung] paano ba ‘yung parenting skills na kinakailangan na mayroon ang parents lalo na tayo ay nasa digital world na po,” Sugabaen emphasized.
(We don’t encourage corporal punishment because it is a form of abuse. That’s why we highlight positive parenting and what parenting skills are needed in today’s digital world.)
One of the first steps in positive discipline is identifying current methods of parenting used in a household, and considering children’s involvement in disciplinary sessions.
“Kasi minsan, ito ‘yung gusto natin [bilang magulang] para sa ating mga anak pero minsan…naisasantabi na po natin yung kanila talagang opinyon,” she said.
(Sometimes, we want something for our children, but we often disregard what children want for themselves.)
This month’s celebration, with the theme “Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protecting Children, Creating a Safe Philippines!,” aims to raise awareness of child abuse, as it continues to be a pressing issue, said Sugabaen.
Since 2020, there have been 601 reported cases of child victims of violence in MIMAROPA, she said, citing that the majority of these are cases of child labor, sexual violence, and abandoned, neglected, and surrendered children.
