DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Despite the notion that Davao City is indifferent to the Juvenile Justice Law, agencies in Davao have stepped up and calling for more reforms, facilities and improved case handling for young offenders or children in conflict with the law (CICL).
At the center of these efforts is the Bahay Pag-asa or Children’s Village facility in Tugbok, Davao City, which serves as shelter for CICL while awaiting court disposition of their cases.
Bahay Pag-asa is designed not as a detention facility but as a rehabilitation space that provides psychosocial support, education through ALS (Alternative Learning System), and skills development programs to help reintegrate children into their families and communities.
Jerome Gumbao, team leader of the Regional Juvenile Justice and Welfare Committee XI Secretariat, said there are still gaps in the system, highlighting that several local government units in Davao Region still do not have their own Bahay Pag-Asa facilities, particularly in Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.
“There are still LGUs that do not approve the local juvenile intervention programs, so we are encouraging them to approve.” Gumbao added.
Funding, remains a key concern. Rehabilitation centers rely heavily on government allocations, with one regional facility operating on an annual budget of over ?40 million, more than half of which has already been utilized as of midyear.
Bahay Pag-asa currently houses 58 children, below its 85-bed capacity. However, Angel Pana, center head of the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth XI, said the facility had experienced overcrowding, with the number of residents reaching as high as 120.
Gumbao also added that limited training among personnel and inconsistent implementation at the local level have affected the effectiveness of these interventions.
He also clarified that there have been no recent amendments to the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 regarding the age of criminal responsibility. The current legal framework remains in effect, maintaining the existing provisions on how children in conflict with the law are handled and processed within the justice system.
Under the current system, children aged 12 to 14 who commit serious offenses undergo intensive intervention programs, while those aged 15 to 17 are housed in Bahay Pag-Asa while awaiting court decisions. The duration of stay typically ranges from six months to 18 months, depending on court orders and behavioral assessments.
Despite ongoing challenges, these officials said there are already success stories and best practices emerging from rehabilitation centers, pointing to concrete indicators that interventions are working.
“There are success stories, along with the successful best practices in our centers,” Gumbao said, adding that some former residents have successfully reintegrated into society and are now working with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).(davaotoday.com)
