Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Talisay passes children’s code
TALISAY City will give priority to the rights, protection and development of minors after the City Council approved the Children’s Welfare Code.
“It’s a landmark measure,” said Councilor Shirley Belleza, the proponent of the measure, after the council approved her proposal during its regular session yesterday.
Her 40-page measure provides a framework for the City Government’s programs to prioritize the survival, protection, participation and development of children in Talisay.
The Children’s Welfare Code mandates parents and guardians to provide adequate support for the children such as food, clothing, shelter and medical needs.
It prohibits pregnant women from smoking cigarettes, taking alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs.
Development
“It shall support the role of the family providing for children and promote the efforts of parents, other child care and development workers, private organizations, non-government organizations and communities to nurture and care for children from infancy...up to adolescence,” the ordinance’s declaration of principles and policies read.
Belleza, who is on her last term, is the chairperson of the council committee on women, family and minors.
Her ordinance also prohibits smoking in public places, enclosed areas or in public utility vehicles in the presence of pregnant women.
Parents and guardians are asked to refrain from causing any physical, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse on their children.
Any person who has knowl-edge of a child suffering from abuses is mandated to report to the newly created Child’s Rights Protection Unit (CRPU) at City Hall for assistance.
Parents, doctors and midwives, who assist in the delivery of an infant, are required to register the newborn at the City Health Office within 30 days.
Provision
On the suggestion of Councilor Edward Alesna, chairman of the committee on laws, Belleza said she inserted a provision that protects a child from drinking liquor, smoking tobacco, sniffing rugby and drugs and from being involved in their production or distribution.
Belleza said this also prohibits parents from allowing their children to buy cigarettes or alcoholic beverages, and prohibits stores from selling these items to minors.
On the area of education, the code requires schools to enroll or accept differently-abled children. Their refusal to provide services to a person for reasons of physical or mental disability is prohibited.
Juveniles or children in conflict with the law should be treated with dignity, should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, have free assistance of interpreter if the child cannot understand or speak the language used, have full privacy from the media and be informed of his or her rights.
On the area of employment, it shall be unlawful for persons to employ children below 15 years old, especially in hazardous circumstances, to tap them in the commission of a crime and falsify birth records to facilitate employment.
Parents are prohibited from coercing or forcing the child to work and engage in hazardous work.
The code also protects the child from prostitution, pornography, sex tourism and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation as provided for in Republic Act 7610, or the Special Child Protection Act.
Internet café owners must ensure that children are not exposed to pornography and violence, that they are not inside Internet cafes after 10 p.m. or during class hours, unless allowed by school officials for research work.
Owners of nightclubs, bars and karaoke joints should require proof of age before employing new workers and post notices disallowing minors from entering the premises.
Violators will be fined P5,000 to P10,000 or one-year imprisonment or both at the discretion of the court. (GC)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 7, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here. |
