Senate approves bill prohibiting corporal punishment on children

The Senate approved on third and final reading Monday a measure prohibiting corporal punishment against children below 18 years old and promoting positive and non-violent discipline of children.

Senate Bill No. 1477 seeks to protect children from all forms of physical and mental violence by prohibiting beating, kicking, slapping, lashing on any part of a child’s body, with or without the use of an instrument such as broom, cane, whip or belt.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, sponsor of the bill, said pulling of a child’s hair, shaking, twisting of joints, cutting or piercing the skin, dragging or throwing a child will also be prohibited.

Also prohibited under the bill are forcing a child to perform physically painful or damaging acts such as squatting, standing or sitting in a contorted position, holding  weight or weights for an extended period, kneeling on stones, salt or pebbles as well as verbal abuse or assaults, including intimidation or threat or bodily harm, swearing or cursing, ridiculing or denigrating a child or making him look foolish in front of his peers or the public.

“This bill seeks to develop a comprehensive program to provide parents and those who exercise parental authority over children with adequate parenting tools and learning resources in employing a positive and non-violent way of disciplining children,” said Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality.

The proposed legislation also seeks to prohibit the imprisonment of a child or exposure to substances that could cause discomfort or threaten the child’s health including fire, ice, water, smoke, pepper, alcohol or dangerous chemicals such as bleach or insecticides, excrement or urine and tying up a child and other similar acts.

“Corporal punishment, while seemingly benign, poses a serious danger not only because of its prevalence in our households and communities but because of its appearance of inoffensiveness,” the senator said.

She said parents who suffered from punishment as children continue the pattern of harm on their own children.

The practice, she stressed, has to be stopped.

Under the bill, a written citation by the barangay chairperson or his/her representative will be given to the parent, guardian or the adult concerned indicating that he/she should desist, stop and refrain from using corporal punishment for the first offense. A mediation and reconciliation meeting should also be conducted.

Parents, guardians or adults will be given another citation and be required to attend  counselling and positive discipline seminar for the second offense.

The Barangay Council for the Protection of Children, through the barangay chair will initiate and file the necessary complaint against the parent, guardian or adult before law enforcement authorities for the third offense and a mediation and reconciliation meeting will be conducted. — BAP, GMA News