House body okays bill promoting positive and

non-violent discipline of children

The House Committee on the Welfare of Children has reported out for floor deliberation a
measure promoting positive and non-violent discipline of children at home, in schools, in
workplaces, and in all other settings.
Rep. Aurora Cerilles !
nd
"istrict, #amboanga del $ur%, chairperson of the House bod&,
said House 'ill ()*+ would mitigate violence towards ,ilipino children b& securing their well-
being and safet&.
-.n response to the commitment of the /hilippines to various international agreements
such as the 0niversal "eclaration of Human Rights, 1eneva "eclaration of the Rights of the
Child, and Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is imperative to establish a legal framework
that shall protect the &oung generation of ,ilipinos,2 Cerilles said.
House 'ill ()*+, in substitution of House 'ill 344 authored b& Rep. $usan 5ap !
nd
"istrict, Tarlac%, aims to promote positive and non-violent methods of disciplining them and
assisting parents in the fulfillment of their parental obligations.
-Children, as future productive citi6ens of the countr&, need to be cared for in an
environment that fosters positive reinforcement of behavior rather than making use of
punishment to supposedl& facilitate learning,2 5ap said.
-The &oung should be protected from the grave conse7uences of corporal punishment b&
prohibiting the infliction of all forms of corporal, humiliating or degrading punishment in all
settings, providing legal remedies for victims and measures of intervention for perpetrators of
corporal punishment,2 5ap added.
The measure prohibits an& forms of corporal punishment, humiliating or degrading
chastisement to children like kicking, slapping, pulling hair, twisting 8oints, dragging, forcing a
child through the use of power, authorit& or threats, to perform ph&sicall& painful or damaging
acts, kneeling on stones, salt or pebbles, refusal to provide the child9s ph&sical needs, t&ing up a
child, verbal abuse, swearing or cursing, and making a child look or feel foolish in front of one9s
peers or public b& shaving hair.
0nder the measure, the penalties under e:isting penal laws shall be imposed in the
ma:imum period, e:cept where a higher penalt& is provided for under Act ;<34, as amended,
otherwise known as the Revised /enal Code, under Republic Act +=3*, or under Republic Act
)!=!, otherwise known as the Anti->iolence Against Women and their Children Act, or arresto
mayor in its ma:imum period.
.f the penalt& imposable for the act is onl& arresto menor or arresto mayor, the prosecutor
ma& refer the accused to the local $ocial Welfare and "evelopment ?ffice $W"?% for
assessment and intervention such as seminars and counseling on children9s rights, positive and
NR # 3581
SEPT. 6, 2014
non-violent discipline of children, anger management, and referrals to other rehabilitative
services.
The remedies available to the victim under Republic Act @os. +=3* and )!=! shall be
available to the child where applicable.
The measure also re7uires the respect and the right to privac& of the victim to cases of
corporal punishment, in baranga&, the police, school, public or private healthcare facilit&.
Whoever publishes or causes to be published, in an& format, an& identif&ing information
of a victim or immediate famil& member of the victim, without consent, shall be penali6ed with a
fine of not more than Two hundred thousand pesos /!**,***%.
The "epartment of $ocial Welfare and "evelopment "$W"%, in consultation with the
Commission on Women and Children CWC%, "epartment of Aducation "epAd%, Commission
on Higher Aducation CHA"%, Technical Aducation and $kills "evelopment Authorit& TA$"A%,
"epartment of the .nterior and Bocal 1overnment ".B1%, "epartment of Health "?H%, other
relevant government agencies, BB10s, @1?s, and at least two !% child focused organi6ations,
shall promulgate the .mplementing Rules and Regulations .RR% of the proposed Act.
Co-authors of the measure are Reps. Walden 'ello /art& Bist, AC'A5A@%, .barra D.
1utierre6 ... /art& Bist, AC'A5A@%, Daria Carmen $. #amora 3
st
"istrict, Compostela
>alle&%, Bemuel Bawrence H. ,ortun 3
st
"istrict, Agusan "el @orte%, Rub& D. $ahali Bone
"istrict, Tawi-Tawi%, Dariano 0. /iamonte /art& Bist, A TAACHAR%, Cinchona Cru6-1on6ales
/art& Bist, C.'AC%, Ronald >. $ingson 3
st
"istrict, .locos $ur%, .sidro T. 0ngab ;
rd
"istrict,
"avao Cit&%, Thelma #. Almario !
nd
"istrict, "avao ?riental%, Celso B. Bobregat3
st
"istrict,
#amboanga Cit&%, Beopoldo @. 'ataoil !
nd
"istrict, /angasinan%, "akila Carlo A. Cua Bone
"istrict, Euirino%, ,rederick ,. Abueg !
nd
"istrict, /alawan%, /edro '. Acharon, Fr. 3
st
"istrict,
$outh Cotabato%, Ansaruddin A.D.A. Adiong 3
st
"istrict, Banao "el $ur%, Da. Bourdes Acosta-
Alba 3
st
"istrict, 'ukidnon%, Forge T. Almonte 3
st
"istrict, Disamis ?ccidental%, Rose Dari F.
Arenas ;
rd
"istrict, /angasinan%, Anthon& D. 'ravo /art& Bist, -C??/ @ATCC?%, Bino $.
Ca&etano !
nd
"istrict, Taguig Cit&%, @eri F. Colmenares /art& Bist, 'a&an Duna%, Anthon& 1.
"el Rosario 3
st
"istrict, "avao del @orte%, Avelina 1. Ascudero 3
st
"istrict, $orsogon%,
1wendol&n ,. 1arcia ;
rd
"istrict, Cebu%, Ana Cristina $. 1o !
nd
"istrict, .sabela%, 1erald
Anthon& >. 1ullas, Fr. 3
st
"istrict, Cebu%, ,ernando B. Hicap /art& Bist, A@AC/AW.$%,
Bu6viminda C. .lagan /art& Bist, 1A'R.ABA%, Aulogio R. Dagsa&sa& /art& Bist, A>A%, Dark
Blandro B. Dendo6a (
th
"istrict, 'atangas%, Bilia Dacrohon-@uno !
nd
"istrict, #amboanga
Cit&%, Aric B. ?livares3
st
"istrict, /arana7ue Cit&%, Carlos D. /adilla Bone "istrict, @ueva
>i6ca&a%, 1avini C. /ancho !
nd
"istrict, 'ulacan%, Beah $. /a7ui6 /art& Bist, A@1 @AR$%,
"eogracias '. Ramos, Fr. !
nd
"istrict, $orsogon%, Roman T. Romulo Bone "istrict, /asig Cit&%,
Astrellita $uansing 3
st
"istrict, @ueva Aci8a%, Randolf $. Ting ;
rd
"istrict, Caga&an%, Fuliette T.
0& !
nd
"istrict, Disamis ?riental%, and >ictor F.5u 3
st
"istrict, #amboanga "el $ur%. ;*% jsc