THE SENATE has passed a measure that seeks to help parents in providing their children quality care during critical stages of development.

Voting 21-0, the senators approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 2399 sponsored by Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.

The measure calls for the establishment and implementation of the Parent Effectiveness Service Program seeking to strengthen parental involvement in child development and learning by expanding their knowledge and skills on parenting.

It would cover fathers and mothers, as well as parent substitutes.

Under the bill, the PES program shall be implemented in every city and municipality, with modules to be developed and produced by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, in coordination with the Department of Education and other concerned agencies.

The modules shall be consistent with existing laws and cover parental roles, needs and responsibilities, challenges of parenting, as well as child development, child abuse prevention, health and nutrition, among others.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture and co-sponsor of the bill, said he hopes that parents and guardians will be empowered through the program, especially amid the Covid19 pandemic which exposed learners to problems of distance learning, psychosocial issues and increased risks of violence and abuse.