SOCIAL WORK. Vice President Sara Z. Duterte delivers her speech during the National Social Welfare and Development Forum and General Assembly on Tuesday (Aug. 15, 2023) at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City. She lauded the social workers behind the Kean Gabriel hotline – a helpline for abused kids established when she was then the mayor of Davao City. (PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.)
DAVAO CITY – Vice President Sara Z. Duterte lauded on Tuesday the social workers behind the success of the Kean Gabriel program of the city government.
Duterte noted that the Kean Gabriel Hotline manned by social workers receives calls and messages 24/7 in addressing issues about child abuse.
“Over time, with the active involvement of the community in the Kean Gabriel advocacy, our social workers noticed a dramatic drop in reports. And I must say that without the help and dedication of the social workers and their hearts for abuse victims, we could have failed Kean Gabriel once again," the Vice President said in her speech during the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines, Inc. 26th National Convention and General Assembly here.
The hotline, an initiative of Duterte when she was the city mayor here, encourages Dabawenyos to report incidents of child abuse anonymously.
“We chose a number that could easily be remembered — 0908 818 4444. And we produced a jingle played repeatedly on almost all radio stations in Davao — if only to remind the public of our shared responsibility to ensure that no child will again die because of abuse,” Duterte said.
Duterte recalled that the inception of the hotline came about after the tragic death of Kean Gabriel, who died after his stepfather repeatedly beat him in 2016.
“Kean Gabriel was only 3 when he died because of the brutality of an adult who was supposed to provide him with love, care, and safety. I said — we need to stop these cases of child abuse that could lead to more deaths,” she said.
Meanwhile, Duterte underscored the importance that social workers play in saving children from abusive adults, thanking them for their hard work and dedication to help bring social justice, and for being the “foot soldiers for social change.”
At least 2,000 social welfare officers from across the country gathered to take part in the general assembly. (PNA)
