Second building for CICL in Mandaue inaugurated

CEBU, Philippines - The second phase of the shelter for children in conflict with the law (CICL) in Sitio Dungoan, Barangay Basak, Mandaue City was inaugurated yesterday.

Maricel Yu, head of Hope of Mandaue also known as HOME and the focal person under Mandaue City Council for the Protection of Children, said the new building will house children involved in petty crimes including those juveniles who are victims of abuse, or being left alone by their parents.

Currently, 33 boys and 9 girls are being accommodated in the first building of HOME, which was constructed in 2014 with a budget of P21 million.

The second building inaugurated yesterday morning is worth P12.6 million, according to Yu. The building is set to accommodate around 40 children.

Present in the inauguration were officials of Barangay Basak, Mandaue City Councilor for the Protection of Children chairperson Sarah Walker-Cortes, incoming Mayor Luigi Quisumbing’s wife Maricar Quisumbing, and Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede. In an interview, outgoing mayor and incoming Cebu Sixth District Representative Jonas Cortes said the facility will serve as a place for homeless children to live instead of loitering around the streets.

“Kay nakita nato daghan na g’yud mga kabataan nga libod-suroy, ang uban nasulod na gani sa drugas, pagkuan (or paggamit) anang rugby,” Cortes said.

He added that a child whose environment is surrounded with negative influences lacks guidance from parents.

“Kuwang lang g’yud ni sila og guidance. As parents, we should be accountable, responsible sa kaugmaon aning mga bata,” he said.

Cortes also said that minors rescued in line with the city’s 1999 curfew ordinance can be accommodated in the shelter in coordination with the City Social Welfare Services. Yu, on the other hand, said the city government will soon install the third and fourth phase of the facility that will house its new administration office. (FREEMAN)