SENATOR Risa Hontiveros filed a measure that will promote positive parenting in all settings.

In filing Senate Bill 2036 or the proposed Positive Parenting Children’s Act, Hontiveros said that physical and humiliating punishment remain as the common practice in disciplining children in the Philippines.

During the hearing on the measure, Hontiveros said that it has been more than a decade since the ratification of the Convention of the Rights of the Child but some children in the country still endure extreme form of abuse.

“Ayon sa National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children, isang komprehensibong pag-aaral na isinagawa ng Council for the Welfare of Children at ng UNICEF, one-third of respondents endured extreme forms of abuse such as: slapping, kicking, smothering, drowning, and burning,” she said.

“To complement this commitment, national and international non-government organizations that represent children, and countless numbers of parent-advocates have been pushing for a positive parenting policy,” she added.

Hontiveros said experts and extensive research have shown that resorting to physical and psychological violence as a form of discipline negatively affects children’s mental health.

“Kung tayo ngang mga nakatatanda ay iniinda ang pisikal at emosyonal na pananakit, paano pa kaya sa mga bata na isa sa mga pinaka-bulnerableng sektor ng ating lipunan,” she added.

The Positive Parenting Bill aims to equip parents and institutions by developing a comprehensive program that teaches and encourages positive parenting in diverse settings.

It provides educational and psycho-social support for families and institutions to foster positive and healthier relationships with children.