CALASIAO, Pangasinan -- Strengthening the implementation of existing laws would address the problem with children in conflict with the law (CICL) rather than lowering the age of criminal liability, the Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc. (PASWI) Pangasinan chapter said Thursday.
“If all stakeholders will work together, there is no need to lower the age of criminal liability. We just have to strengthen implementation of laws and rehabilitation and intervention programs since there are already laws concerning the CICLs,” Editha Gorospe, Calasiao municipal social welfare development officer and PASWI member, said in a forum.
Gorospe acknowledged that most of the CICLs and children at risks are from poor families.
“Most of their parents are not using their parenting skills and would rather turn over the responsibility to the government, while some parents because of poverty, need to prioritize providing for their family’s needs over taking care of their children. The children are already deprived of their needed discipline at home,” she said.
Gorospe recommended that barangay officials should create programs on parenting.
“They (barangay officials) should strengthen their programs, including parental capability, as parents should be the first to have the discipline,” she added.
Gorospe further said that Republic Act (RA) No. 10630 already provides for the construction of “Bahay Pag-asa” in every municipality or city, where the young offenders will be molded into better citizens.
However, only few of these facilities are established all over the country due to the budget constraints of some local government units (LGUs), she said.
RA 10630, An Act Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System in the Philippines, provides for the construction and maintenance of “Bahay Pag-asa”, a 24-hour child-caring institution that includes an intensive juvenile intervention and support center catering to CICLs.
“Aside from the construction of the facility, there should also be funding for the daily expenses and salary to the manpower, which according to the law, will be shouldered by the LGU. But since not all LGUs have CICLs, then putting up a Bahay Pag-asa by district or clustering of LGUs can also be done,” Gorospe said.
In Pangasinan, a Bahay Pag-asa is situated in Urdaneta City.
Meanwhile, the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) confirmed the increasing trend of CICLs in the province in the same forum.
Senior Insp. Ria Tacderan, PPPO public information officer, said 232 CICLs were recorded in the province in 2016, which increased to 260 in 2017 and 265 in 2018.
Of the total 265 CICLs recorded last year, seven are between six and nine years old; 20 are between 10 and 12 years old; and 171 are between 13 and 15 years old. (PNA)
