THE Kean Gabriel Hotline has received approximately 100 calls in 2023, addressing various concerns such as child abuse, exploitation, and abandonment.
According to Mae Aquino, Planning Information, Research, and Communication Officer of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the hotline actually logged around 128 calls during the year.
The office also reported that in 2023, the Quick Response Team for Children’s Concerns (QRTCC) assisted 37 Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) and 224 children at risk.
“Kini sila ang uban naa sa atoang center sa Balay Pag-asa and Balay Dangupan and ang uban naa sa community, community intervention ang gihatag sa Ila naga depend man gyud na siya sa kanang kabug-aton sa kaso na na commit sa bata (A number of these children are housed in our centers, such as Balay Pag-asa and Balay Dangupan, while others receive community-based interventions depending on the severity of their cases),” Aquino shared during the ISpeak media forum on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the PSSO Building.
As of September 2024, the CSWDO has tracked around 33 CICLs, 122 children at risk, and has received 120 calls to the Kean Gabriel Hotline.
Aquino explained that some CICLs are allowed to return home if their parents are prepared to support them, though the CSWDO conducts a parenting capability assessment to ensure the child’s well-being. If parents or guardians are deemed unprepared, the children are placed under the city’s care.
Children requiring assistance are sheltered in centers such as Balay Dangupan, Balay Sidlakan, Bahay Pag-asa, and LINGAP for children with mental health needs. The Paginhawaaan Drop-in Center offers temporary care for street children until they can be reunited with their families.
Aquino noted that several former CICLs who have “graduated” from the centers are now employed in both the private and public sectors. The CSWDO frequently invites these graduates to speak during events, aiming to inspire current CICLs.
The Kean Gabriel Hotline, reachable at 0908-818-4444, was established in memory of Kean Gabriel Agustine, a three-year-old child tragically killed by his stepfather on August 24, 2016.
The Davao City government created the hotline to support abuse victims and witnesses and to prevent similar tragedies in the future. RGP
