Tell it to SunStar: ‘Not 9, not 12! Say no to lowering MACR!’

SALINLAHI Alliance for Children’s Concerns staged a protest in front of the Senate during its plenary session discussing the amendments on RA 9344 or Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 which will lower the minimum age from 15 to 12 years old.

We were in front of the Senate to register our call that they should not pass this anti-children and anti-poor bill that only criminalizes the children and does not address the increasing crime rate in the Philippines. Even government data shows that only two percent of the crimes here in the country are committed by children and most of them are poverty-related crimes.

The profile of children in conflict with the law are those who came from poor families and lack basic education. Holding children as young as 12 years old criminally liable and making them suffer inside detention cells is tantamount to state neglect and abandonment. Instead of criminalizing children, the government should address the roots of poverty that these children continue to live in.

We call for the government to implement fully RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act. The state should prioritize the funding of prevention and rehabilitation programs for children in conflict with the law. Right now, there are only eight DSWD-accredited Bahay Pag-asa out of 58 in the county. According to some studies, the condition of Bahay Pag-Asa is worse than prison because of the lack of food, beddings, staff and other supplies in these facilities.

We call for the Senate to heed the call of children, child rights groups and other organizations to go against this anti-children and anti-poor bill.--EULE RICO BONGANAY, SALINLAHI SECRETARY-GENERAL