00:00Mga programa laban sa bullying sa mga paaralan, mental health issues at mga krimeng kinasasangkutan ng mga minor de edad,
00:07ating pag-uusapan kasama si Undersecretary Angelo Tapales, Executive Director ng Council for the Welfare of Children.
00:14Yusek Tapales, magandang tanghali at welcome po ulit sa Bagong Pilipinas ngayon.
00:20It's a mga kabatang tanghali po sa lahat po na nakikinig sa napagandang programa po natin.
00:25Yusek, ano po yung kasalukuya ang mga programa ng CWC para maiwasan at matugunan yung bullying sa loob at labas ng mga eskwelahan?
00:41Opo, ang latest po na ginagawa po namin ngayon,
00:45siguro two weeks ago, pinirmahan po namin ni Secretary Sani Angara yung isang memorando of understanding
00:51to link na makabata helpline 1383 to the hotline of the DepEd, ano?
00:57Kasi gusto natin mas tutukan pa lahat ng forms ng violence against children sa eskwelahan,
01:02lalong-lalong na yung bullying, ano?
01:04While alam po natin, kumparado sa figures noong 2018-2019 school year na 20,000 plus,
01:10nasa 7,700 plus na lang noong 2022-2023 school year,
01:15ang DepEd po at syempre po, Council for the Welfare of Children, hindi po tayo tumitigil po, ano?
01:20So, yung MOU po na yan, long overdue, talagang pinirmahan po natin yan.
01:25And nag-release po rin tayo recently ng press statement supporting the revision of the implementing rules and regulations
01:31of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, nilabas din po ng DepEd yan, kamakailan lamang po.
01:36I think last week po.
01:38Yes, nabanggit niyo na po, Yusek, yung lumabas nga po na revised IRR ng Anti-Bullying Act.
01:44Ano po yung mga pinakamahalagang pagbabago, yung mga highlights ito, Yusek?
01:52Yusek, napakaganda nito, no?
01:54While nabasa naman natin yung Anti-Bullying Act natin, yung dating IRR na nilabas din ng DepEd noong 2013,
02:00dito kasi sa revised guidelines po, implementing rules and regulations ito, rather,
02:05malinaw na inulit-ulit ng DepEd, ano, that all schools, public and private, should adopt their Anti-Bullying policies.
02:14Tapos may minimum provisions na required sa mga Anti-Bullying policies nila.
02:19And ang nag-stick sa akin dito, ano, yung responding promptly and investigating reports
02:24and restoring a sense of safety in schools, ano, para sa lahat ng partido,
02:29hindi po lingid sa kalawa natin, and I think the Makabata Helpline also received a couple of reports
02:35of schools seemingly sweeping cases under the rug, so to speak.
02:39Hindi po nila gustong simulan siguro o inaayos,
02:42pero dito po sa bagong implementing rules and regulations ito,
02:45they are required really to take in cases, ano,
02:48and to respond and to process yung mga reports po sa kanila.
02:51Marami pong sinabi dito, and ang nag-stick sa akin dito,
02:57zero reporting doesn't mean positive performance of schools.
03:01So, yung mga ibang schools, at konti lang naman yan,
03:04hindi naman lagi, at maraming sumusunod naman talagang skwelahan,
03:08do not sweep it under the rug because it doesn't follow that because a school receives zero reports
03:15that the school is really performing well, ano, that DepEd will also check
03:20if you are really implementing your anti-bullying policy.
03:23So, binabantayan po kayo ng DepEd.
03:25And of course, apart naman po ng Council for the Welfare of Children,
03:29if we receive reports through the Makabata Helpline 1383
03:31that public and private schools are not really responding properly to bullying
03:36and complying with the implementing rules and regulations,
03:39we will of course report you to DepEd for proper action and investigation po.
03:43Yusek, isa sa mga reform na nakapaloob sa revised IRR yung pagkakaroon ng learner formation officer sa mga paaralan.
03:55So, ano po yung magiging role ng inyong ahensya sa pagsasanay o paggabay dito sa mga learner formation officer?
04:02Kami po ay makikipag-ugnayan po sa kanila, sir.
04:08Ito po, tama po, may binanggit, may mga bagong officers po na itinalaga dito sa bagong implementing rules and regulations sa revised version.
04:17Siguro, babanggitin ko na rin, ano, yung principal at yung school head.
04:21Napakalinaw na sinabi dito na you will be fully responsible and accountable for all events happening in your schools.
04:28And you are also mandated to designate disciplinary officers who will handle bullying concerns.
04:34Ngayon, whether it's on the national level with the central office of DepEd, regional offices, division offices, or schools man, public or private,
04:43ang role po ng makabata helpline dyan is we partner with them, ano.
04:47Through our MOU with DepEd, we have partnered practically with the public schools, ano.
04:53Ngayon naman po, ASEC, ang target namin is to reach out to private schools
04:57so that we can also lend the Makabata Helpline 1383 as an alternative or additional or even your main helpline
05:05kung wala po ang private schools natin, ano.
05:07May mga partners po tayong ganyan.
05:09Ang una naming partner is the Miriam College po, ano.
05:13So from elementary, high school, and college, they can use the Makabata Helpline 1383 po.
05:17Yusek, may planong po ba ang CWC na magsagawa ng monitoring o pag-audit kung efektibo yung bagong reporting at intervention system laban sa bullying?
05:29Opo, we will participate po.
05:31Isa sa itinalagang role ng DepEd dyan kasi is they have, they can partner and collaborate with other agencies, ano, yung learner and protection rights division po nila.
05:40We heavily work with them.
05:43At, syempre po, pag ni-review po ito, very excited kami sharing YSIRR.
05:48I'm sure marami po dito, una, mahihirapan muna siguro, but we have to, ano, no, we have to really push public and private schools to have anti-bullying policies
05:58and functioning bullying structures, ano, headed by this discipline officer.
06:04So, babantayan po natin ito kasi po, while pababa po lahat ng numero ng violence against children, including bullying,
06:11of course, the directing of the president is really to make schools and, of course, the community and even schools safe for all children.
06:20Yusek, sabi nga po ng WHO, no, health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
06:29Kaya ako po nasabi yun, kasi yung bullying, parang isa yun dun sa mga problema.
06:34E, ano naman po yung ating mga ginagawa para mapalakas ang mental health support sa mga paaralan?
06:41Yung overall nga po na wellness kasama ang mental health.
06:44Ano po yung mga bagong initiatives ng CWC para dito?
06:47Opo, aside from the Makabata o Helpline 1383, because, of course, we are partners with everybody pursuant to EO 76, series of,
06:59sorry, EO 79, series of 2024, which the president signed last December 6, 2024,
07:05making the Makabata Helpline 1383 as the central reporting mechanism of the government for children.
07:10We are partners with everybody. Of course, the DepEd has the National Center for Mental Health.
07:16We refer cases to them. And, of course, the Makabata Helpline 1383 also has social workers.
07:22If children need to discuss personal matters or matters affecting their mental health,
07:28meron po tayong first aid na nila, lapat po sa kanila.
07:31But, of course, for more serious matters, we can refer cases to the Women and Children Protection Units
07:37in our Provincial Hospitals or even to the National Center for Mental Health.
07:42Pero, isang effort po ng government po dyan, on the same date, December 6, 2024,
07:46as when the president signed EO 79, Republic Act No. 12080 also came into force.
07:56This is the Basic Education Mental Health and Wellbeing Promotion Act.
08:00So, napakaganda po nito, ASIC. Schools are now mandated to have care centers.
08:06Yung mga guidance centers po nila, they are mandated to convert it to care centers.
08:11At, magkakaroon po ng mga professionals dyan to care to the mental health of students.
08:17Yung mga divisions naman po natin are mandated to have mental health and well-being offices.
08:22So, kung may mga mental health experts po dito, may mga counselors po tayo sa mga schools,
08:28matutugon lang po ang pangangailangan ng bata, pero may provision din po dito na kunyari,
08:33ang eskwelahan nyo po, wala pang mga professionals na pwedeng magkaroon ng tutugon dun sa pangangailangan ng bata.
08:43You can refer it to the division level at tutulong po kung walang school counselor pa dun sa eskwelahan.
08:48So, again, the trust of the government is really to make the school safe, involve the students, involve the parents,
08:57place accountability on the principal, the teaching and non-teaching staff.
09:03And, of course, yung mental health po hindi pinapabayaan po yan.
09:06It's an effect of bullying at batay po sa mga pag-aaral yan po talaga lumalabas.
09:10Yusek, nabanggit nyo po yung psychological first aid doon po sa hotline.
09:15So, sa tingin nyo po ba sa ngayon, sapat yung training ng ating mga guro at guidance counselor
09:23sa pagbibigay ng psychological first aid sa ating mga estudyante?
09:27At meron po ba tayong programa in conjunction with DepEd para ma-improve ito?
09:34Siguro po, i-admit ko, kami po mismo sa mga kabata, helpline 1383,
09:39we are still in the process of strengthening our capacity to respond to mental health concerns.
09:45And siguro that goes the same for our teachers and school personnel.
09:51Merong training, ngunit marami pa pong pwedeng i-improve.
09:54That's why we are very excited with the enactment of Republic Act 12080
10:00and the basic education, mental health and awareness law natin.
10:05Because of this, magkakaroon po ng mga plantilya positions kasi dito
10:09and of course, they will have professional training, magkakapasity building po sila dito.
10:16So, kung ano man po, asek yung meron tayo ngayon,
10:19na syempre po, lagi naman pong kulang, napakarami po ng bata sa schools,
10:23in-expect po natin na yan po ay mag-improve in the coming years po.
10:27And hopefully soon, para po hindi naman makapag-aral at makatuon sa talagang mga schoolwork
10:34ang ating mga bata po.
10:36Yusek, pagdating naman sa mga krimi na kinasasangkutan ng mga minorde edad,
10:40ano po yung kasalukuyang programa ng CWC para sa mga biktima at sa mga salary na rin?
10:45Kasi, di ba lately, meron isang estudyante na binaril niya yung kanyang girlfriend doon sa school.
10:50Paano po ba ninyo na-address itong mga ganitong issue?
10:52Opo, asek, alam nyo, when it comes to children in conflict with the law,
10:58yan po ang pinaka-mabigat na topic para sa Council for the Welfare of Children
11:02because at the end of the complaint is always a victim
11:06and usually that victim is also a child, ano?
11:09So, lagi kami turn dito, pero our official position here, of course, is
11:13we have to protect all children, you know, whether the child is the victim
11:19or even the perpetrator, ano?
11:21And the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act already provides sufficient safeguards
11:27and mechanisms to really, number one, hold the offender accountable, ano?
11:32I want to dispel that wrong impression na just because you are a minor,
11:38you will not be held accountable.
11:40Dahil lang po, bata po, ang kinakaharap natin dito na maaring nagkasala sa batas,
11:45ang Juvenile Justice Welfare Act po natin ay may pinag-uutos lang po na extra steps
11:50to ensure that the child is preserved.
11:53Dahil future po ng bansa natin to, we cannot just condemn them and incarcerate them, ano?
11:58That would be the easiest thing to do.
12:00But if you read the studies po, kasi the drivers of offense, commission of offenses,
12:07of CICS, is really poverty, dysfunctional family, family violence, family negligence, ano?
12:13So, if we start the solution by just incarcerating children,
12:17we might not be hitting the target head-on.
12:23Ibig sabihin po, we have to address poverty and that's what the government is really doing right now.
12:28We have to protect and strengthen the family, ano?
12:30That's why, yun po sinasabi namin dun sa mga medyo passionate about this issue,
12:36hindi po naman, hindi pa panagutin ang bata, ano?
12:39Of course, pag below 15 years old po yan, exempt from criminal liability,
12:43but there will be intervention programs to improve that particular child.
12:48Pag kunyari, below 15 ka, pero serious crime ang kinuit mo,
12:51you will be considered a neglected child and you will be committed to a bahay pag-asa, ano?
12:56And of course, yung mga below 18, above 15, pag yan ay may discernment talaga,
13:00ginawa nila at alam nila ang tama at man, eh, ginawa pa rin ang krimen,
13:04there will be a diversion program.
13:06At kung hindi man sila qualified sa diversion program,
13:09ayaw nilang pumirma, o hindi talaga sila nagre-respond,
13:13prosecution will proceed and eventually there will be a judgment from the court.
13:18Pwede pa rin silang makundit.
13:20Pero dahil po nga mga bata to mga asek sa mga nakikinig po,
13:24there will be an automatic suspension of data decision, ano?
13:28Pero, if the child does not respond to the disposition measures na ipag-uutos po ng korte,
13:35eventually execution of the judgment will proceed.
13:38So there will be criminal accountability, ano?
13:40And for the civil liability po, the parents will be liable.
13:44So, hindi po totoong walang liability po como minor po.
13:47Yusek, eto na. Nabanggit nyo po yung age cutoff na 15.
13:52Ano naman po ang reaction ninyo sa panukala ni Senator Robin Padilla
13:55na ibaba ang minimum age of criminal responsibility sa sampu?
14:00So, nung nasa law school kami ni Yusek, Nikiti,
14:06I think 12 years old yung cutoff, ano?
14:08Hindi naman din, masyadong mababa yun.
14:10While, of course, idol po natin ang ating mga lawmakers.
14:13Unang-una na po si Senator Robin Padilla.
14:16Again, I would like to reiterate po,
14:17the drivers of offense commission ng CICLs po
14:21is really poverty and dysfunctional family,
14:24violence and negligence, ano?
14:26I think, personally, and of course,
14:28this is also the position of the Council for the Welfare of Children.
14:31Let us push first for the full and effective implementation
14:34of the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act.
14:37Ponduhan po natin at suportahan
14:39ng Juvenile Justice Welfare Council
14:41ang pagtatayo ng bahay pag-asa.
14:43Kokoonti pa po sa Pilipinas yan.
14:45Yung mga natatayo naman po natin,
14:47hindi pa kumpleto ang services.
14:48Mag po natin sukuha ng mga bata.
14:50Kasi po, again, the easiest thing to do
14:53is just forget about them and incarcerate them.
14:55But we won't be solving the problem
14:57because we are dealing with a future generation of Filipinos.
15:01So, again, they can be held liable under the law
15:04pag talagang sila'y nagkasala with discernment
15:07and hindi nag-respond.
15:08But, of course, extra steps are mandated by the law
15:12dahil po nga sila po ay mga bata.
15:15Yusek, bilang panghuli na lang siguro, no?
15:18So, mensahin nyo na lamang sa ating mga kababayan
15:21habang dinadigest pa po natin itong bagong IRR
15:25ng Anti-Bullying Act.
15:26Opo, para po sa mga nakikinig sa atin,
15:31mga kaibigan, mga nanay at tatay,
15:33mga nangangalaga po sa bata.
15:35Again, ang ating mga anak ay hindi extension
15:38ng ating pagatao.
15:39Sila ay may mga karapatan.
15:41Kailangan po natin sila laging alagaan.
15:43Ano? Kasi, katulad ng sinasabi ng Council for the Welfare of Children,
15:46sa bagong Pilipinas, bawat bata ay mahalaga.
15:50So, basta bata, tayo dapat ang bahala.
15:53Thank you po.
15:55Maraming salamat po sa inyong oras,
15:57Undersecretary Angelo Tapales,
15:59Executive Director ng Council for the Welfare of Children.
16:03Maraming salamat po.
