HLAF met with the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) of Sorsogon City, represented by CSWDO Head Mr. Josie Jadie and Social Welfare Officer Ms. Uricar Diaz, to strengthen child protection efforts in the city. The meeting focused on addressing challenges faced by the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) and explored strategies to enhance the capacity of duty bearers in safeguarding children’s welfare, on August 30, 2024.
Sorsogon City, which has 64 barangays, is dealing with a rising number of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) cases, with around 20 currently reported as of this time. Most of the recorded cases involve petty crimes. Although barangay officials have been oriented on their BCPC responsibilities, newly elected officials unfamiliar with the protocols tend to refer cases directly to the CSWDO or Philippine National Police (PNP), which ultimately sends the cases back to the barangay for proper rehabilitation of the child.
Mr. Josie Jadie emphasized the importance of early intervention, stating, “When a child grows up with the wrong values, the community will also be affected. That’s why we want to help and correct things early on.”
In response to the challenges, HLAF proposed several training initiatives, including BCPC functionality training, basic family therapy, and psychological first aid, to better equip barangay officials in handling CICL and at-risk children.
The CSWDO expressed strong interest in receiving HLAF’s technical assistance, particularly in developing a comprehensive training framework for the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children and its actors.
