Ninth Congress
Republic Act No. 7610
June 17, 1992
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR STRONGER DETERRENCE AND SPECIAL PROTECTION AGAINST
CHILD ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
ARTICLE I
Title, Policy, Principles and Definitions of Terms
Section 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Special Protection of Children Against Abuse,
Exploitation and Discrimination Act."
Section 2. Declaration of State Policy and Principles. – It is hereby declared to be the policy of the
State to provide special protection to children from all firms of abuse, neglect, cruelty exploitation and
discrimination and other conditions, prejudicial their development; provide sanctions for their
commission and carry out a program for prevention and deterrence of and crisis intervention in
situations of child abuse, exploitation and discrimination. The State shall intervene on behalf of the
child when the parent, guardian, teacher or person having care or custody of the child fails or is unable
to protect the child against abuse, exploitation and discrimination or when such acts against the child
are committed by the said parent, guardian, teacher or person having care and custody of the same.
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It shall be the policy of the State to protect and rehabilitate children gravely threatened or endangered
by circumstances which affect or will affect their survival and normal development and over which they
have no control.
The best interests of children shall be the paramount consideration in all actions concerning them,
whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative
authorities, and legislative bodies, consistent with the principle of First Call for Children as enunciated
in the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. Every effort shall be exerted to promote the
welfare of children and enhance their opportunities for a useful and happy life.
Section 3. Definition of Terms. –
(a) "Children" refers to person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are
unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect,
cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or
condition;
(b) "Child abuse" refers to the maltreatment, whether habitual or not, of the child which
includes any of the following:
(1) Psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and
emotional maltreatment;