DSWD backs bill vs corporal punishment

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) backed yesterday a bill that makes it a crime to use corporal punishment on children.

In an interview, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said children, like adults, should enjoy the right to be protected from physical and psychological abuses including humiliation, as being pushed in House Bill 682.

Authored by Tarlac Rep. Monica Louise Prieto-Teodoro, HB 682 prohibits “all corporal punishment and all other forms of humiliating or degrading punishment of children in homes, schools and other places.”

The measure has been approved in principle by the House committees on revision of laws and the welfare of children.

Under the bill, adults face punishment if they are proven to have slapped, kicked, burned, choked, beaten, pinched, whipped, twisted the ears of, threatened, terrorized, ridiculed, cursed, and belittled children for misbehavior or disobedience at home, in school, or in any other place.

Cabral said before thinking of punishing children, parents and school authorities must think how they can make the children realize their mistakes.

Cabral said other countries have penalized corporal punishment, especially those in Scandanavia, which are at the “forefront of children’s rights in Europe.”

The measure requires the DSWD and other government organizations and parent-teacher-community associations to work together in coming up with a program to prevent corporal punishment in homes and in schools.

Once made punishable by law, victims of corporal punishment – like regular young victims of crimes – can be placed under protective custody of the DSWD. The victims would also be entitled to medical, legal and counseling services.

According to HB 682, the penalties shall be in accordance with the Revised Penal Code, Republic Act 7610 (the anti-child abuse law), and RA 9262 (the anti-violence against women and children law).    – Helen Flores