CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno on Wednesday, January 23, said local government units should play an active role in protecting the children from getting involved in crimes.
Moreno made the statement as debate on the lowering of the minimum age of criminal liability continues.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday amended its version to 12 years old, instead of the proposed nine years old, to align with the Senate version of the bill.
"This issue needs more discussion, dili lang unta i-accelerate, i-short cut. Istoryahan gyud para mogawas gyud unsay gusto sa mga tao. It's a responsibility of everyone," Moreno said.
The mayor said local government units should also be actively involved in this campaign.
The city has allocated a total of P9 million for the establishment of the two-story Bahay Pag-asa, a six-bed home for juvenile delinquents in Maitum, Barangay Puerto.
"When I was governor, I put up Bahay Pag-asa in Claveria. Now, we will be putting up Bahay Pag-asa in partnership with national government in Upper Puerto. Trabaho ni sa tanan, it can be solved, but it would be even difficult to say nga gobyerno ra na ang makasolve ana. Diha lang sa pamilya, dako na ug tabang, mga silingan, relatives. And for the LGU, the barangay tanods, they play a special role," he said.
Currently, the city has Tahanan ng Kabataan, which for many years, has been housing children in conflict with the law.
City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a, for his part, said the government should focus on putting up shelters in every province across the country.
"Existing naman ang atong shelter, ang problema kung naa ba sa uban parts sa Pilipinas. That's what they should strengthen, dili ang ilower ang edad bisan 12 years old pa, dili man gihapon na maka-solve sa crimes," Sabuga-a said.