November is National Children’s Month in the Philippines, a time for upholding the various programs that promote children’s rights and welfare. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with other national, local, civic, and organizations, actively participates in this month’s celebration.
In particular, one of the DSWD’s attached agencies takes the lead during National Children’s Month: the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC). Among its latest initiatives is the MAKABATA Helpline 1383, a communication tool for reporting, monitoring, and taking action on different issues that affect Filipino children.
What is the CWC?
In case you were wondering, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) is a national government agency that is responsible for Filipino children’s protection, welfare, and development. It aims to defend children’s rights, promote their welfare and development, and protect them against all forms of abuse and exploitation
What is MAKABATA Helpline?
The MAKABATA Helpline is an initiative of the CWC. Launched in November 2022, it stands for “Mahalin at Kalingain ang ating mga Bata” (Love and Care for our Children). It is based on Republic Act 11188 or “An Act Providing for the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict and Providing Penalties for Violations.”
Initially, MAKABATA Helpline was established to monitor the concerns of children in armed conflict situations. However, the helpline was expanded to address other issues concerning children.
“We figured that there are so many children’s concerns, ranging from mental health concerns, bullying, violence against children, online and offline sexual abuse, trafficking, rape and acts of lasciviousness,” CWC Executive Director Undersecretary Angelo Tapales stated during a press conference last October 2023.
“So, at the CWC, we thought of expanding the coverage of the MAKABATA Helpline to protect children and their families against any child rights violations through immediate coordination and prevention measures,” he explained.
The CWC Executive Director also mentioned that while the private sector has its own Bantay Bata Helpline, the CWC would be the “focal and apex” helpline for all children’s concerns in the country.
“MAKABATA Helpline 1383 is here to complement existing hotlines and helplines in the country,” he said. “We are not rivaling any existing hotline or helpline.”
Who can Call MAKABATA Helpline?
Parents, guardians, people with legal custody of children, concerned citizens, and children themselves are urged to call MAKABATA Helpline to report child abuse, exploitation, and other cases.
Basically, the MAKABATA Helpline answers questions about children’s rights, and how these rights are violated. It also provides referrals to government agencies that will provide the appropriate service or intervention, depending on each case. These agencies include the DSWD, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
What to Report to MAKABATA Helpline?
The MAKABATA Helpline addresses all cases wherein children’s rights are violated. Callers can report cases of physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, exploitation, neglect, discrimination, and other situations that affect children’s rights.
Video: Report to MAKABATA Helpline
The following video by UNICEF Philippines features the different ways of getting help through the MAKABATA Helpline. According to UNICEF, it is the right of every child to be protected from abuse and exploitation, be it offline or online. The organization also tells victims not to be afraid or ashamed to report such cases.
Latest Updates
Meanwhile, here are the latest news and updates on MAKABATA Helpline 1383, based on its official Facebook page:
CWC, BI Agree to Fight Foreign Child Abusers
Last July 29, 2024, the CWC and Bureau of Immigration (BI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to ensure that children are protected from foreign abusers. As part of this agreement, the BI included the CWC’s MAKABATA Helpline 1383 in their “ShieldKids Campaign,” which prioritizes the apprehension of foreigners engaged in child trafficking.
The agreement helps to strengthen coordination between the CWC and BI when it comes to investigating and catching perpetrators.
Regional Roll-out of MAKABATA Helpline
The MAKABATA Helpline 1383 was launched in the National Capital region last October 21, 2023. Since then, it has been “rolled out” to different regions across the country.
On August 6, 2024, for example, the helpline was rolled out in Bulacan province. Similarly, on August 14 and 28, MAKABATA Helpline 1383 was rolled out in the provinces of Cagayan and Quezon, respectively.
More recently, in October, the helpline was rolled out in Cebu, with representative coming from the following places: Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Carcar, Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Dalaguete, Danao, Lamac, Madreliyos, Mandaue, Minglanilla, Oslob, Pillar, Pinamungajan, San Francisco, Santander, Sibonga, Sogud, and Talisay.
DILG Promotes MAKABATA Helpline
Also in October, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular No. 2024-143, which promotes the MAKABATA Helpline 1383. The CWC views this initiative as a vital step in protecting children and providing a dedicated channel for reporting cases of violence and abuse against children.
The circular calls on all local government units (LGUs) across the Philippines to support and raise awareness about the helpline. Indeed, the DILG’s initiative plays a valuable role in making sure that information about the MAKABATA Helpline is spread nationwide — a major steps towards children’s rights and concerns.
How to Contact MAKABATA Helpline 1383
You can contact the MAKABATA helpline via call, text, email, and social media platforms, as follows:
Cellphone: 0919 354 1383 (SMART) / 0915 802 2375 (GLOBE)
Email: makabata1383@cwc.gov.ph
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/@MakabataHelpline/
Contact Information: Council for the Welfare of Children
To learn more about MAKABATA Helpline 1383 and other programs related to the rights and welfare of children, you can get in touch with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) through the following contact details:
Address: 10 Apo St., Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 8366 1910 / 8740 8864
Email: cwc@cwc.gov.ph
Website: https://cwc.gov.ph/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CWCgovph
Google Map:
Final Thoughts
Although there are several organizations and channels that address cases of child abuse and violence, it is good to have a dedicated platform to oversee all of these initiatives. Through the MAKABATA Helpline, anyone can report child abuse cases and expect to get immediate help and assistance.
Speaking of children’s rights, the DSWD implements programs for all Filipino kids, including children in conflict with the law (CICL). To address their cases, the Bukod Paglaom program was established. Check out this article to know more about this initiative!