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[av_heading heading=’ Protecting children’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
EDITORIAL
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Wednesday, March 7, 2018
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AS WE are all aware, the government has launched a no-nonsense campaign against criminality; we can do our share in this effort by ensuring that our kids are always out of harm’s way.
In Congress, a proposed law mandates parents to keep closer watch on children, especially during ungodly hours of the day – or night, if you may.
The currently unnumbered substitute bill to House Bill (HB) No. 894, titled “An Act prohibiting unchaperoned children from roaming, loitering or sleeping outside their abode during unsafe hours, prescribing penalties for their parents or guardians” seeks to ensure the protection of children from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development.
Once enacted, the bill will make it unlawful for parents and guardians to, knowingly or by insufficient control, allow children to loiter, roam around, or sleep in any public place from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., without justifiable reason.
Yes, it is absolutely necessary for parents to have their children chaperoned during these hours to shield them from dangers such as crime. The original measure covered minors (below 18 years old). As per the substitute bill, erring parents/ guardians together with their child will be made to undergo counseling or other intervention programs upon violation of the Act. For the third and succeeding offenses, the parents or guardians will be slapped with a maximum fine of P1,000 and/or ordered to fulfill community service for five to 10 days.
Exempted from this prohibition are children who are accompanied by a parent or guardian; are out of their homes for reasons related with education, employment, or official activities sponsored by the government, school, or civic organizations; or are involved in any emergency.
The bill goes to great lengths to ensure that Filipino youngsters aren’t subjected to any type of abuse. It prohibits law enforcement officers from exhibiting behavior that tend to traumatize children such as use of vulgar words, sexual harassment or abuse, displaying instruments of intimidation, or inflicting violence or unnecessary force on the child.
We see nearly every day on television news footages of children and teenagers figuring in gang wars, petty theft, street crimes, and violent skirmishes; children who have gone missing for over 24 hours; children that are abused by syndicates and unscrupulous individuals; children involved in crimes concerning abduction, rape, abuse, and murder; children vulnerable to abuse leading to exploitation and drug addiction, among others. It’s alarming.
We have to protect minors from potential threats that may arise in the remote environment which may be harmful or detrimental to their development. The bigger picture is that we must maintain public order and safety and prevent the further rise in criminality.
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