The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said today that it will take temporary custody of the child who was shown in a video being beaten by her own mother.

The Department found out that the video was uploaded on Facebook by a student in Cadiz City. The DSWD in Region VI immediately sent a social  worker to the area to validate and confirm the incident which happened on September 22.  

In her report to DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman, DSWD Field Office VI Director Evelyn Macapobre said that a series of counseling sessions have been provided to the mother and notable changes have been reported by barangay officials and neighbors who are monitoring the family. The City Social Welfare and Development Officer as well as Social Welfare and Development social workers are also monitoring the case.

To date, Director Macapobre further reported to Secretary Soliman that the child and her older sister together with their lola are now in a crisis center in Escalante City, Negros Occidental.  The child-victim was initially seen by personnel from the city health office and was given a clean bill of health. Director Macapobre said that the child will still be taken to a bigger hospital for more medical examinations. On the other hand, the mother will undergo a psychological evaluation on October 15.

However, Secretary Soliman is determined to take temporary custody of the child saying “we are not certain of the mother’s capacity to take care of the child. The best interest of the child should be our primary consideration. The action of repeatedly slapping the child indicates that the mother is not sensitive to the child’s situation. Secretary Soliman said that the mother should be informed that her actions cannot be tolerated.

Meanwhile, in the first semester of the year, the DSWD recorded a total of 3,305 cases of child abuse nationwide. Of this number, 298 are physical abuse. These children are staying either at DSWD centers or in their communities under the supervision of social workers.  Psychological services are given to abused children to help them recover from their trauma.

Stunted growth, detachment, and remoteness are among the behaviors observed in an abused child. ###