Bantay Bata 163 () is a social welfare program of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation (formerly ABS-CBN Foundation). Launched in 1997, it aims to protect disadvantaged and at-risk children through a nationwide network of social services. Among these services is the national emergency hotline, '163', which allows people to call in and report incidents of child abuse, exploitation and neglect.The Beggar's Hand: Solutions: Bantay Bata 163
Bantay Bata has offices in the major cities in the Philippines which allows it to respond immediately to the emergency calls. They are also able to offer online counseling for child-family relationships and assist victims of child sexual exploitation. The program also works with the national and local government agencies, such as the

Department of Social Welfare and Development The Philippines' Department of Social Welfare and Development ( fil, Kagawaran ng Kagalingan at Pagpapaunlad Panlipunan, Kagawaran ng Kagalingang Panlipunan at Pagpapaunlad, abbreviated as DSWD) is the executive department of the Philippine Gov ...

(DSWD)). From its establishment, Bantay Bata has become one of the most widely supported causes in the Philippines.

History

Bantay Bata 163 was established on February 14, 1997, as a hotline and rescue operation of the ABS-CBN Foundation. Though the

ABS-CBN Regional ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under ...

it expanded its service in these following areas: * Davao - August 2000 * Cebu and Iloilo - January 2005 * Bicol and Zamboanga - February 2006 * Negros - 2007 * Pangasinan - October 2008 * Laguna and General Santos - February 2012. Before the centralized hotline was launched in July 2005, regional hotline was different from city to city. On August 31, 2020, some services of Bantay Bata 163 discontinued as part of the retrenchment by

ABS-CBN Corporation ABS-CBN Corporation is a Filipino media company based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation which is owned b ...

, due to denial of

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company unde ...

's legislative franchise by the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

on July 10, 2020.

Projects

Children’s Crisis Center

Bantay Bata also operates and provides a temporary shelter to rescued children before their cases are resolved legally. Children are provided with

therapy A therapy or medical treatment (often abbreviated tx, Tx, or Tx) is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a medical diagnosis. As a rule, each therapy has indications and contraindications. There are many different ...

and educational opportunities before they are reunited with their families or referred to proper child caring agencies.Welcome to ABS CBN Foundation, Inc

Children's Village

Bantay Bata also established a Children’s Village to house and care for children who require further attention. Located in the outskirts of Metropolitan Manila, the Children's Village provides health and wellness care, nutrition, education and psychological development for these disadvantaged and at-risk kids. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the groundbreaking ceremonies of the Bantay Bata 163 Children's Village March 29 in Norzagaray, Bulacan. The Village was officially opened on May 10, 2003 and inaugurated in November of the same year. Its construction was the collaboration of efforts by various companies and supporters who have generously donated their resources to build this paradise for the children.

Child Trafficking

Bantay Bata 163 is also actively involved in combatting and dealing with the problems of Child Trafficking in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. This includes: The act of trading or dealing with children, including but not limited to, the buying and selling children for money, or for any other consideration, or barter; and sexual exploitation wherein, children whether male or female, who for money, profit or any other consideration or due to the coercion or influence of any adult, syndicate or group, indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct, are deemed to be children exploited in prostitution and other

sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...

.'BANTAY BATA 163' TACKLES GROWING CHILD ABUSE PROBLEM
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Services

# Direct Child Protective Services # Residential Services # Community and Family Support Services

Bantay Bata Regional Services

Bicol Region Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...

Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...

* Davao Region *

Soccsksargen Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the regio ...

Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on t ...

* Bacolod * Eastern Visayas * Pangasinan * Laguna *

Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and La ...

Palawan Palawan (), officially the Province of Palawan ( cyo, Probinsya i'ang Palawan; tl, Lalawigan ng Palawan), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in t ...

Mindoro Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and has a population of 1,408,454 as of 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luz ...

Zamboanga City Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philipp ...

* Cagayan de Oro *

Caraga Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga Region) and designated as Region XIII, is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. Th ...

References

External links

Bantay Bata 163
* ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation * In North America http://www.abscbnfoundation.org {{ABS-CBN ABS-CBN Corporation Child-related organizations in the Philippines Organizations established in 1996 Assets owned by ABS-CBN Corporation