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.
According to Philippines News Agency, Director Megan Manahan of the DSWD's Standards Bureau stated in a radio interview over the weekend that residential care facilities are visited once a semester, equating to twice a year, in addition to spot monitoring. Manahan emphasized that field office staff have been instructed to thoroughly monitor case management amidst the ongoing issues.
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 is responsible for processing and issuing 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. This arrangement allows FOs to focus more on compliance monitoring due to their proximity to the facilities.
DSWD social workers inspect physical safety, financial management, staffing, and case management during monitoring visits. Manahan noted that case management is crucial, requiring interviews and focus group discussions with children to understand their experiences, whether positive or negative, in the residential care facilities.
On Wednesday, Jeremy Ferguson, director of the New Life Baptist Church of Mexico, Pampanga, Inc., was arrested by the Pampanga police's Women and Children's Protection Desk and the DSWD FO-Central Luzon for violating Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. Ferguson's arrest followed the rescue of 160 children from his custody based on complaints of various abuses, fire hazards, fund mismanagement, and non-compliance with DSWD standards.