Manila: Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos and Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos are advocating for the passage of House Bill No. 7468, aimed at establishing child advocacy centers (CACs) in all local government units (LGUs) across the country. This initiative seeks to provide dedicated, child-friendly facilities to streamline the process of investigating and managing cases of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
According to Philippines News Agency, the proposed 'Child Advocacy Centers bill' aims to create a unified, trauma-informed process for handling such sensitive cases. Each center would serve as the main venue for reporting, assessment, interviews, medical examinations, psychosocial interventions, legal coordination, and case management. By doing so, the bill intends to minimize the re-traumatization of child victims who currently face the burden of repeatedly recounting their experiences to various authorities.
The bill outlines that CACs would address a range of cases, including physical abuse, sexual abuse and exploitation, psychological or emotional abuse, neglect and abandonment, online sexual abuse, and other acts punishable under child protection laws. A multidisciplinary team would be formed to facilitate the center's operations, comprising representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Desks, Department of Health or government hospitals, Department of Justice or Office of the Prosecutor, and the local government social welfare office, among others.
Rep. Ching Bernos emphasized that the CACs are a strategic response to the current fragmented handling of child abuse cases in the country. She highlighted the challenges faced by child victims who must recount their traumatic experiences multiple times to different officials, which can exacerbate their trauma. Rep. JB Bernos noted that inconsistency in agency coordination and the lack of child-friendly facilities further complicate the issue. He stressed that reporting abuse should not add to the victim's burden in their pursuit of support and justice.
