Senate begins inquiry into Gentle Hands orphanage controversy
HAVEN UNDER SCRUTINY Charity Heppner Graff (right), executive director of Gentle Hands Inc. (GHI), which runs an orphanage in Quezon City, hugs and addresses her GHI wards before they were moved out of the facility on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, following a cease-and-desist order served the night before by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. FILE PHOTO/Philippine Daily Inquirer/Marianne Bermudez
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality on Wednesday started its inquiry into the controversy involving Gentle Hands Inc.
Senators Risa Hontiveros and Koko Pimentel sought the conduct of the investigation after the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) issued a cease and desist order against the orphanage in Quezon City.
READ: DSWD shuts down QC orphanage
In a May 23 statement, the DSWD accused Gentle Hands Inc. of violating Republic Act No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination.
Some of the key points that are expected to be discussed during the inquiry are the allegations that led to the issuance of the cease and desist order against the orphanage, the review of DSWD’s policies on the living standards for residential facilities for children, and the evaluation of the process undertaken by the DSWD on the removal of children from the child care facility.
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