FOR 45 years, the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) has taken under their care around 4,000 Children In Conflict with the Law (CICLs), an official from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) said.
Berlita Silagan, Social Welfare Officer of DSWD-Davao, said on Friday morning, December 8, in a radio interview that the RRCY formerly known as the Pag-Asa Home, has been of service to around 3,000 to 4,000 children in Davao Region for 45 years.
“So karung tuiga ang amoang na serbisyohan na mga kabatan-unan kay 159 na nga kabatan-unan nga na refer dinhi (For this year we have served about 159 children who were referred here),” Silagan said.
The number of CICLs that are under the care of RRCY has increased, from 76 on November 10, 2023, to about 159 on December 10.
Silagan added that these CICLs will serve their given sentence in the RRCY since they are minors and their cases have been suspended hence, they will undergo a rehabilitation program in the RRCY.
The RRCY houses children ages 15 to 21 who are referred to the center, while children below 15 have no criminal liabilities but can still be referred to the Bahay Pag-asa of the Local Government Unit (LGU).
Silagan expressed that the children under their care are suspended and on trial. Once their case is suspended, this means that the child has already received his or her sentence based on the offense. And since the child is a minor, he or she must spend his or her time inside the center and undergo rehabilitation otherwise known as the disposition measures.
If the child refuses to undergo the measures given by the RRCY, the management may return the child’s case to the court and the judge will determine if the child can still be housed at the center or be transferred to a jail.
The DSWD-Davao's RRCY is a residential care institution for CICLs who are at least 15 but not over 21 years old. They get care, protection, and rehabilitation services from the facility round-the-clock.
The center is a three-hectare wide and situated at Purok 7, Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District, Davao City. It has classrooms, a productivity, skills, and development center, a music room, and a gym with a basketball court.
Psychological therapy is also provided to help youngsters overcome challenges with anxiety, anger management, separation anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
In addition to managing the cases of the CICLs, the RRCY offers services such as approved skills training from the Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) that enables the participants to acquire income-generating abilities including driving, refrigeration, and air conditioning.
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