Abstract
This study sought to determine the Mechanisms and Interventions provided by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSWDO) in the Province of Catanduanes. The sources of data in the study are 11 Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers in the entire province. Further, the study has the following important findings: MSWDOs in the Province of Catanduanes were competent in (scores ranging to 1.50 to 2.49) all the professional knowledge and skill competency areas. Meanwhile, 9 out of 11 MSWDOs or 81.82% ranged in a score of 46-56 indicating women- friendly attitude and had positive beliefs and values for working with sexually abused children. Two among the 11 MSWDOs or 18.18% range a score of 35-45 indicating some troubling attitudes that may be harmful to sexually abused children. There was a high implementation of mechanisms by the municipal social welfare and development officers to the sexually abused children in Catanduanes, with overall mean of 3.82. The overall mean in the interventions provided by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) to the sexually abused children in Catanduanes was 1.44. However, other alternative interventions were given and specified by the MSWDO which is the referral system. The victims are referred to other municipalities with rape crisis center, some are referred to nearby provinces that has residential care facilities and to other private sectors that cater the needs of sexually abused children. Moreover, factors that hinder the implementation of mechanisms and interventions in the Province of Catanduanes were first, lack of manpower from the MSWDO office, second, lack of funds for the interventions and, third, the lack of support from the LGUs and other agencies. The least factor to hinder the implementation of mechanisms and interventions for sexually abused children is the lack of trainings in communication techniques to engage with children of all levels in the 13th rank.
