MANILA - The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its partners on Wednesday launched a multi-sectoral strategy action plan to end violence against children (VAC) in the Philippines.

The Philippine Plan of Action to End Violence Against Children (PPAEVAC) is a set of strategies and recommendations resulting from the National Baseline Study on Violence against Children in 2016. It is a product of consultations between the government, UNICEF and its partners, and details the roles and responsibilities for implementation of key government agencies.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will lead programs for all evidence-based parenting and positive discipline program, while the Department of Education (DepEd) will integrate personal safety lessons and life-skills in curriculum in schools.

Together with the Department of Justice (DOJ), DSWD will work on improving children's access to protective and helpline services.

The Department of Interior and Local Government, together with CWC, will work on mobilizing child protection systems at all levels effectively, with the CWC monitoring the implementation of all laws related to violence against children.

"It is concerning that violence pervades on children, committed by people they trust. Violence also has high economic cost to the country; the more strategically we prevent violence, government will be able to avert the expenses it will need in responding to VAC in the long-term. UNICEF will thus continue supporting the work laid out in the Plan of Action to address VAC in the Philippines,” UNICEF Philippines OIC-Representative Julia Rees said.

Davao City 1st District Representative Karlo Nograles, on behalf of the House of Representatives, said he will push for financial allocation for the implementation of the PPAEVAC.

"Congress will support a PHP2.4million budget for the national implementation; as well as PHP2.8 million for the localisation of the PPAEVAC. As chair of the Committee on Appropriations, I commit to advocate to our colleagues in Congress to allocate these resources for this very important national plan, and continue policy dialogues for strategic implementation," he said.

"We need to put a stop to these forms of violence and online sexual abuse. In the National Budget of 2018, I have ensured that the PNP’s Women and Children’s Protection Center to have increased budget to purchase additional equipment and obtain training to increase their capacity in their work. As Chair of Committee on Finance in the Senate, I will support additional funding in the 2019 National Budget," Senator Loren Legarda, in a message read at the launch, added.