Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is batting for the full and effective implementation of the Parent Effective Service Program (PES) Act, also known as Republic Act (RA) No. 11908, to help curb bullying in schools.

Gatchalian made this call during a public hearing on recent incidents of bullying and violence in schools.

The lawmaker called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to operationalize the program at local government units (LGUs).

“I am urging the DSWD, together with the DILG, to issue a directive to operationalize the PES at the LGU level. It is really the local government units that will operationalize this. The DSWD and the Department of Education will create the modules but the LGUs are in charge of organizing PES, so it needs DILG intervention,” Gatchalian pointed out. 

“The DSWD Central together with the DepEd should instruct the local city or municipal social welfare development office to organize the program or else hindi mamo-mobilize and Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act (or else the Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act won't get mobilized),” said Gatchalian, principal author and a co-sponsor of PES.

The law seeks to assist parents and parent-substitutes in strengthening their knowledge and skills in responding to their parental duties and responsibilities, protecting and promoting children’s rights, fostering positive early childhood development, and advancing their educational progress.

Under the law, cities and municipalities shall implement the PES Program through their respective social welfare and development offices.