Multi-Stakeholders Summit on Juvenile Justice Law

I had been to the Multi-Stakeholders Summit on Juvenile Justice held last Thursday, September 13, 2007 at the Davao Convention and Trade Center. It was a whole day affair sponsored by the Council for the Welfare of Children wherein different sectors from the judiciary, academe, law enforcers, community, government, and the private particularly the youth all met to discuss the outcome and impact of the implementation of RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Law. It turned out, however, that major problems with children in conflict with the law (CICL) and how to deal with them became the day’s highlight.

Apart from the Chairperson of the Committee on Education 1^st District Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta, other members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod namely: Councilors Trinidad, Avila, Ibuyan, Reta, Braga, Dayap, Mahipus, Dayanghirang, and Marañon, were also there. Of course, the day would not have been complete without the presence of Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte himself.

The major concerns about children that the big group came up with was that children nowadays are abandoned, neglected and abused; their values distorted; they are engaged in anti-social activities and that their families and the community are less-empowered.

Now, how do they say these should be dealt with? In connection with RA 9344, the Mayor stressed the importance of the after-care phase to CICLs. Probationary/correctional institutions in cities, provinces and/or regions should be the priority, complete with advanced facilities, expert manpower and the right budget to keep these institutions working effectively and efficiently.

Let us leave that to the veterans. My appeal is to the families. How informed are we of these realities our children face today? How ready and open are we to accept these facts and the possibilities that these could also be happening to our children? I do not have children of my own yet. But I have a brother, cousins, friends and acquaintances, who are teenagers. This I say to you, they think so much differently now compared to my generation when we were of the same age bracket. FYI: I was a batch 2000 graduate of high school. You do the Math.

Ok. Bottomline is, I see today’s youth as being very much exposed to sex, drugs and violence, and at a fast and alarming rate for that matter. As being in the best position to monitor and even talk to your children, CICL or otherwise, your families should be the most vigilant on these issues. The government, NGO’s and other institutions and organizations could only do much. Proper discipline and values indoctrination are what we need. And they ought to start and end with you. I think it is high time that we do away with apathy and all start taking responsibilities instead.