A NEWLY opened temporary holding center may soon accommodate children in conflict with the law (CICL) from towns in Cebu's Second District.
Located in the southern town of Dalaguete, the facility will also cater to CICL from the neighboring towns of Alcoy, Argao, Boljoon, Oslob, Samboan and Santander.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the P685,000 facility led by Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale was held last Tuesday, March 19.
The Provincial Government wants to put at least one holding center for CICL in all of the seven districts in Cebu.
The center has no limit as to how many CICL it will accommodate since it's just a temporary holding area while concerned agencies process their documents.
It will be the municipal government of Dalaguete that will oversee the operation of the facility.
In an interview last Monday, March 18, Magpale, chairperson of the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children, said there is a need to establish more CICL facilities not only in the province, but also in highly urbanized cities.
Her pronouncement came after a 17-year-old boy was charged with murder after the evidence gathered by the National Bureau of Investigation 7 pointed to him as the prime suspect in the murder of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan.
"What I really want most is to build more CICL facilities in every big city like Lapu-Lapu, Toledo. Our facility in the Province in Consolacion can only accommodate 33 people and that's only for the 11 to 14-year-old CICLs," Magpale said, in Cebuano.
In 2015, the Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation–Integrated Development Center, Inc. (JPICIDCI) turned over a center for CICL in the northern town of Consolacion to the Province.
The facility, called My Home, houses CICL between the ages of 10 to 15 years old. It currently caters to 26 CICL.
A P10-million facility for CICL is also set to rise in a Capitol-owned lot in Barangay Inayagan, City of Naga.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the two-story Bahay Pag-asa Center was held last February 21.
The project’s first phase is expected to reach completion within 157 calendar days, and will cater to CICL between the ages of 15 and 18 years old.