The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council highly commends the Municipality of Paracale of Camarines Norte Province in faithfully implementing the protocols in handling children at risk (CAR) and children in conflict with the law (CICL) to ensure the safety of the children and the community during the community quarantine. Among the measures taken by the municipality for minors are:
- Strict implementation of curfew for minors from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am and monitored by barangay enforcement officers and volunteers;
- Placement of checkpoints and designation of patrols to guard their respective area during the curfew and/or quarantine period;
- Designation of police and/or army personnel to checkpoints with the assistance of women and children protection desk (WCPD) to ensure that RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and
- Welfare Act, RA 7610 or Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, and RA 9262 or Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act, as well as, the quarantine rules are being followed;
- Use of social media for information dissemination;
- Regular reporting of BCPC representative to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO);
- Designation of woman and children desk focal person in the MSWDO to respond to children and women’s issues during the quarantine period;
- This includes the conduct of orientation on the barangay ordinances and laws such as curfew; and coordination with Barangay Social Amelioration Program team on the inclusion of CICL family members undergoing community diversion; and
- Information dissemination on COVID-19 and DILG-CWC JMC no. 2020-001.
Minors caught violating the curfew and other ordinances will undergo intervention programs such as participation in barangay taniman, barangay hall/plaza/street cleanliness, and orderliness activities, among others; and will be given an orientation and counseling together with their parents with the Chief of Police. JJWC encourages other local government units to replicate if applicable the promising practices of protecting children’s rights in context of managing and mitigating the risks of the COVID-19.
