BACOLOD City – This city’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) urged the 61 barangays to strictly implement the curfew ordinance.
This comes after a five-year-old girl from Talisay City, Negros Occidental went missing and was found in this city on Monday, July 1.
The girl was reportedly taken away by an adult and two minors. She was successfully rescued by the police, barangay officials, and personnel of the Talisay City Social Welfare and Development Office from the three on La Salle Avenue in this city.
Alma Gustilo, head of DSSD, said all city barangays should strictly enforce City Ordinance No. 331, or an ordinance providing special protection for children during nighttime by imposing curfew on minors from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.
She stressed that each barangay has its respective Barangay Council for Protection of Children (BCPC) which is in-charge of planning and implementing activities on child protection.
BCPC is composed of the punong barangay as chairman; barangay council’s committees on health, education and family; barangay secretary; child representative; and concerned government agencies.
Earlier, the city council passed a resolution requesting the office of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), and all the barangays of this city to strictly implement the said ordinance.
“It has been observed that a lot of minors have been seen outside of their homes and are wandering around the city. Some of them have even been apprehended due to involvement in the commission of crimes such as theft, robbery, possession and use of prohibited drugs, and vandalism,” read part of the resolution.
It added that the strict implementation of the curfew ordinance is one way to rescue and prevent underage children from committing unlawful acts and exploitation./PN
