During the celebration of Juvenile Justice and Welfare Week, the Department of Education (DepEd) stressed the need to ensure protection for children-at-risk and children in conflict with the law as they as especially vulnerable to exploitation and risk.
“Hindi puwedeng mawala ang Department of Education sa child protection. Tayo ang tulay sa reintegration ng mga children-at-risk at mga children in conflict with the law,” Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Atty. Alberto Muyot said during the seminar on the guidelines and procedures on the management of children-at-risk and children in conflict with the law as detailed in DepEd Order No. 18, s. 2015.
These guidelines are anchored on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and promote non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the child’s survival and development, and child participation. The guidelines provide detailed procedures on case management of children at risk and children in conflict with the law.
Usec. Muyot highlighted the need to protect children from early pregnancy, prostitution, drug use, smoking, alcoholism, violence, and suicide. The University of the Philippines Population Institute, through the Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study in 2013, has identified these as potential threats to adolescents as they make them more vulnerable to exploitation.
Children-at-risk behave in a way that can be harmful to themselves or to others. They also run the risk of being exploited and coming into conflict with the law. Children in conflict with the law are those under the age of 18 who are accused of having committed an offense under Philippine law.
“We have to understand that adolescents are naturally curious. Everything adults do, they would want to try without thinking of the consequences; that is how they are and that is completely normal. This kind of curiosity—reckless as it may be—is part of their development. We cannot hinder them from their self-discovery, but it is our duty to minimize the risks and to protect them from harm,” Muyot said.
He also stressed that DepEd, as a member of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), should ensure that children are protected whatever their backgrounds are. “We have no room for discrimination in DepEd, we have reintegration programs for children in conflict with the law,” he added.
The seminar, which gathered education program supervisors and regional guidance counselors from the National Capital Region, is part of the celebration of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Week. Aside from the presentation of the salient features of DO 18, s. 2015, the two-day seminar included comprehensive discussions on alternative delivery modes, psycho-social interventions, restorative justice strategies and practices, and incident reporting and monitoring guidelines.
– From the Department of Education
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