BACOLOD City – The city government is pushing for the institutionalization of the program protecting children at risk or children in conflict with the law (CICL).
The proposed ordinance institutionalizing the comprehensive local juvenile intervention program and implementing the provisions of the Republic Act (RA) 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, as amended by RA 10630, and providing funds thereof, is up for approval on second reading by the City Council.
Councilor Celia Flor, the chairperson of the Council’s committee on women and gender, family and childcare, said her proposed ordinance aims to strengthen the Local Council for the Protection of Children Subcommittee on Protection (LCPCSOP).
“It shall serve as the primary body to coordinate with and assist the city government in the formulation of comprehensive juvenile intervention and diversion programs and shall set policies for their implementation and for providing services for CICL,” read part of the proposed measure.
It added that the City Mayor of Bacolod through the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) and in coordination with the LCPCSOP shall formulate a five-year Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Program (CLJIP).
The implementation of CLJIP is through a collaborative undertaking between and among the City Council, city mayor, community-based youth and school organizations, non-government organizations (NGOs), and other concerned agencies to address causes of offending, provide assistance to CICL and alternative modes to avoid the child’s contact with the formal justice system.
Additionally, Flor said the LCPCSOP shall formulate the CLJIP under three levels:
* Primary intervention, which includes general measures to promote social justice and equal opportunity which will indirectly tackle perceived root causes of offending.
* Secondary intervention which includes measures to assist children at risk and to prevent them from offending.
* Tertiary intervention, which includes measures to address the needs of children who have committed an offense to prevent them from reoffending and to avoid unnecessary contact with the formal justice system and other measures to prevent reoffending.
The city councilor added that the DSSD and LCPCSOP will provide intervention programs for children 15 years old and below who have committed an offense.
Diversion programs would also be provided for children more than 15 years old but less than 18 years old who acted with discernment and who have committed an offense with an imposable penalty of not more than six years.
These intervention programs shall include any or a combination of but not limited to guidance and counseling, spiritual formation, education and skills development, provision of support services to the family, referral to other agencies for appropriate services, and access to child and youth organizations in the community./PN
