Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Friday commended the establishment of the MAKABATA Helpline 1383 as one of the significant initiatives that reflects the Philippine government's commitment to protect and uphold the rights of children. The MAKABATA (Mahalin at Kalingain ating mga Bata) Helpline is a 24/7 service dedicated to providing support to children in need of special protection here in the Philippines.
According to Philippines News Agency, the hotline aims to address various issues affecting children including child abuse and exploitation, bullying, mental health concerns, and violence, among others. DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized the importance of the helpline during a message delivered by Undersecretary Monina Josefina Romualdez of the DSWD's Operations Group at the MAKABATA Helpline Summit held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila. He stated that these numbers are not just a simple hotline, but a lifeline that offers protection and hope for children.
With the theme, 'Helplines Protecting Children in the Digital Age - A Helpline and Hotline Summit,' the event gathered government agencies, non-government organizations, industry partners, and advocates to discuss best practices, challenges, and innovations related to helplines and hotlines for children. The DSWD chief highlighted the critical role of hotlines and helplines in protecting children from all forms of child rights violations.
Gatchalian noted that helplines and hotlines provide a safe, confidential, and accessible space for children to seek help and support. They offer immediate crisis intervention, emotional support, and connections to other services, especially in cases where children may be afraid to disclose abuse or neglect to their families or communities.
The MAKABATA Helpline 1383 was institutionalized by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. through Executive Order No. 79 in December 2024. It functions as part of the reporting component of the MAKABATA Program, a comprehensive system for addressing and monitoring all issues concerning children in need of special protection (CNSPs).
The Executive Order defines CNSPs as individuals below 18 years old, or those 18 and above who cannot fully care for themselves due to physical or mental disabilities. These individuals are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, exploitation, cruelty, discrimination, violence, and other circumstances like child labor, online sexual abuse, and child trafficking, among others.
CNSPs also include children in conflict with the law, those living in alternative care, and those living with human immunodeficiency virus. The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), an attached agency of the DSWD, acts as the overall coordinating and monitoring body for the implementation of the MAKABATA Program.
