The Regional Development Council [RDC] in Central Visayas [CV] endorses the P98.78 Bohol Youth Home [BYH] to funding institutions as the need for a provincial rehabilitation center for juvenile offenders and children in conflict with the law [CICL] pops up.
At the 3rd Quarter RDC full council meeting in San Juan Siquijor, September 24, Bohol private sector representative Panfilo Asares presented the proposal as he points out that the cases of juveniles and CICL in Bohol have steadily increased through the years.
He added that very little intervention has been done because of the absence of such facility to hose these children, resulting in children languishing in jail with adult criminals or released back to the community without undergoing diversion programs as provided by law.
Over this, Asares said Bohol Development Council passed a resolution endorsing to the RDC for the establishment of the BYH for possible funding by the Department of Social Welfare and Development [DSWD], Department of Justice and other funding institutions.
The proposed rehabilitation center aims to provide a gender-sensitive facility which will offer protective, rehabilitative and legal care services to admitted juvenile delinquents and CICL and entails the construction of a residential shelter facility which will open for 50 wards in a remote government property in Zamora Bilar, Bohol.
The project site however needs to be placed under a geo-technical assessment to ensure that the proposed structures to be constructed are safe from natural disasters, especially with Bohol’s sub base being limestone.
The facility targets to serve delinquent children who are first time offenders, recidivists, 9-15 years old without court cases, 16-18 years old CICL with no parents or relatives to come home to while under assessment or discernment and youths who have committed penal code offenses needing immediate protection from a high risk and unsafe environment while undergoing rehabilitation, according to Bohol PDC.
The facility, which is now pegged at P96.78 million will have a fully developed site, male and female cottages, multi-purpose centers, open courts for sports activities, administration building, kitchen and mess hall, outdoor stage, drive ways, walkways, ample parking space, perimeter fence, worship area and staff house.
Asares also disclosed that the facility is complaint with international and national laws, instruments and policies such as the 1985 UN standard minimum rules for the administration of juvenile justice, 1989 UN convention for the Rights of the Child, 1990 UN rules for the protection of juveniles deprived of their liberties, 1990 guidelines for the prevention of juvenile delinquency, the Philippine Constitutions section 13, article 2, 1974 presidential decree or the Child and Youth Welfare Code and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.
BYH operation would be Provincial Government-managed through the Office of the Provincial Welfare and Development, with the technical assistance of the DSWD owing to Bohol’s lack of capability in undertaking the necessary social services. Similarly, the OPSWD would also be needing the DOJ will also be needed in the facilitation of the disposition of cases of youthful offenders. [rac/PIA-/Bohol]