PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved Executive Order 79, which establishes a one-stop system for reporting incidents of child rights violations.

The EO was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Friday, December 6.

It creates the Mahalin at Kalingain ating mga Bata (MAKABATA) Program and institutionalizes the MAKABATA Helpline 1383.

The program aims to address and monitor all issues and concerns of children in need of special protection through components like reporting, rescue and relief, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

According to the EO, the Department of Social Welfare and Development will lead the implementation of the MAKABATA program, while the Council for the Welfare of Children will serve as the overall coordinating and monitoring body.

“All concerns received through any of the communication platforms of the MAKABATA Helpline 1383 shall be immediately acted upon or referred, directly or indirectly, to concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, including LGUs and private sector partners, for appropriate action and/or intervention,” the EO stated.