The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VII, as an advocate of adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), provides programs and services that safeguard and develop youth in communities.

At the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) VII of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law meeting at the Applied Nutrition Center in Banilad, Cebu City, DSWD reported its initiatives and accomplishments in dealing with youth on ASRH.

Through its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, DSWD-7 OIC Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero presented the Youth Development Session piloting in eight areas in Central Visayas: San Remigio, Tabogon, Sogod, Compostela, Liloan, and Barili in Cebu, as well as Sta. Catalina and Basay in Negros Oriental.

The YDS aims to primarily support holistic adolescent development by providing sessions that talk about adolescent dynamics, sexuality, career skills, and other things designed to mold a better person in the family and the community.

As pilot areas of YDS have captured a positive and engaging atmosphere in their participants, around 85% of the total participants managed to bring their own materials for note-taking purposes.

It has also earned support from the LGUs on the provision of logistical support and food provision to the participants, and an additional 16 local government units have shown strong interest in YDS as a way to guide their youth to become productive and prepared in their lives.

Moreover, Lucero also shared that DSWD has managed a center and residential care facilities which cater to the needs of youth, especially those that have cases that seek protection from the agency.

Namely, these CRCFs are Home for Girls, Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth, Regional Haven, and Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center II. It also has a program on the intervention of victim-survivors of trafficking at various levels through the Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP).

The CRCFs provided orientation on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) and health education related to the Responsible Parenthood Law through a partnership with the Population Commission as an integral part of the case management on social, behavioral, and psychological rehabilitation of its residents.

Through the interventions of the program and facility, DSWD served in 2021: 96 cases related to sexual exploitation, pornography, and prostitution through RRPTP; 118 cases related to rape, incest, child trafficking, and online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) in HFG; 170 cases of children in conflict with the law (CICL) under Suspended Sentence in RRCY; 77 cases related to rape, incest, victims of physical and psychological abuse, and acts of lasciviousness in Regional Haven, and 122 clients in AVRC II. ###

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