Tagaytay City – “The only way to protect the next generation is to do what we can do now.” DILG City Director, Ms. Mary Ann Planas, CESE, quoted in the opening remarks of the Las Piñas City Social Welfare and Development Office’s Orientation on Republic Act 9344 and Formulation of the Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Program 2018-2020 held on September 20 to 21 at the Junction Tagaytay Hotel, Tagaytay City.
Las Piñas City Social Welfare and Development Office tapped the Humanitarian Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc. (HLAF) to facilitate the Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Program 2018-2020 planning of different barangays from Las Piñas City and tackle the salient features of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (RA 9344 as amended by RA 10630).
At the opening of the two-day seminar, the participants expressed their insights on why they what to engage with the intervention programs for children. Some of the notable quotations from the participants are the following:
“Dahil sila ay mahihina, kailangan nila ng suporta.”
“Hindi lahat ng mga bata ay nagagabayan ng mga magulang kaya tayong nandito ay dapat tulungan ang mga magulang para mapaayos ang mga bata.”
“Naniniwala pa din ako na ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa ng bayan.”
“Dapat pangalagaan ang mga bata at hubugin ang kanilang kinabukasan.”
“It’s high time for us to learn more about the protection of children so mas makabuluhan ang pag-aaral na ito.”
“Gusto kong gampanan ang aking tungkulin na gawing maganda ang kabataan sa aming barangay.”
“Kailangan proteksyunan at pangalagaan ang mga bata; tulungan natin ang mga kabataan na ma-enjoy ang kanilang kabataan.”
After the discussion of HLAF’s Executive Director, Atty. Rommel Alim Abitria, about the salient features of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 and the overview of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), participants showed their interest and raised some questions regarding their experiences in the barangays. Also, as part of their CLJIP planning, they’ve also discussed the CLJIP Localization Process, framework, and levels of intervention programs.
In order to have an indicator setting for the CLJIP, the barangays are instructed to create their own barangay’s vision. Also, it will be used as the basis for the presentation of workshop outputs, synthesis, and evaluation.
Together with Atty. Abitria, HLAF’s Jail Decongestion Officer, Atty. Aubree Sadural will comment and provide inputs to the outputs of the participants.
