DSWD to take temporary custody of girl maltreated by mom

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it would take temporary custody of a young girl who was shown in a viral Facebook video being maltreated by her own mother.

While the DSWD-Region 6 reported major progress in the counseling sessions for the mother, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman is determined to take temporary custody of the child.

“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,” she said.

“The action of repeatedly slapping the child indicates that the mother is not sensitive to the child’s situation,” she said, adding that the mother should be told that her actions cannot be tolerated.

The DSWD-Region VI has sent a social worker to Cadiz City in Negros Occidental to validate and confirm the incident which happened last Sept. 22. A student uploaded the video on Facebook.

In her report to Soliman, DSWD field office VI director Evelyn Macapobre said the mother has undergone counseling sessions and that barangay officials and neighbors who are monitoring the family, have reported notable changes in her.

The mother though will still undergo a psychological evaluation tomorrow.

Macapobre also informed Soliman that the child and her older sister, along with their grandmother, are now in a crisis center in Escalante City, Negros Occidental. 

The child was initially seen by personnel of the city health office and was given a clean bill of health.

Macapobre said the child will still be taken to a hospital for more medical examinations.