MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is against the move to lower the age of discernment from the current 16 years to 12 years.
Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said that they have launched their “Road to Diversion” campaign to garner public support against further amending Republic Act 10630 or an Act Strengthening the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act in the Philippines to lower the age of discernment.
“The position of the DSWD and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council headed by attorney Patricia Oco is that any such move will not help our children who have gone astray,” Soliman said at the recent launch of the Road to Diversion program.
“There are many people who have proposed to lower the age of discernment. Right now it’s 16 years old, they want to make it 12 years old,” Soliman said.
“That means, when children the age of 13, 14, and 15 – are arrested for alleged criminal acts – will be thrown into jail to join adult criminal offenders,” Soliman said.
“We know that this will make things worse for our children, whom we can still change for the better,” she said.
Soliman said that RA 10630 stipulates the rehabilitation and not condemnation of young criminal offenders.
The DSWD chief said that the law, enacted in 2013, has paved the way for the establishment of intensive juvenile intervention and support centers or Bahay Pag-Asa around the country.
Soliman said that these centers have shown effectiveness in changing or reforming the lives of young offenders.
Bahay Pag-Asa is a 24-hour residential facility that provides temporary care and serves as a rehabilitation center for children in conflict with the law.
Currently, there are 21 operational Bahay Pag-Asa in various regions. –Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star)
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
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more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
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Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
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October –
Monthly Observances:
Industry and Commerce Safety Month
National Statistics Month
Local Government Month
Consumer Welfare Month
Cooperative Month
National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month
National Health and Wellness Tourism Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Elderly Filipino Week
Week 2: National Health Education Week
Local Government Week
National Mental Health Week
October 17-23:
National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
October 18 – 24:
United Nations Week
Last Week:
Nurses’ Week
Consumers’ Protection Week
Week of the 4th Sunday:
Barrio Farmers’ Week
Daily Observances:
First Monday (Oct 4): Universal Children’s Day i
n the Philippines
Oct 5: National Teachers’ Day
Oct 10: Local Government Day
Third Thursday (Oct 14): Conflict Resolution Day
Oct 21: Tenants’ Emancipation day
Oct 24: United Nations Day
Oct 29: National Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Day
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