P1 billion in 2019 budget for youth halfway homes

MANILA, Philippines — Some P1 billion was allocated in the P3.7-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2019 for the construction of halfway homes for minors in trouble with the law.

The allocation was included in the P3.158-billion increase in the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) made by the Senate and the House of Representatives before ratifying the money measure last Feb. 8.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said the funding for the shelters or Bahay Pag-asa was part of the continuing implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.

“This intends to address the needs of the children in conflict with the law,” Legarda told the plenary when the proposed national budget was discussed.

The law mandated local government units to construct Bahay Pag-asa in their jurisdictions but only a few have complied, leaving many children detained in jails. The allocation was meant to help LGUs put up the shelters.

The House has approved a bill seeking to amend the law to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 years to 12 years.

A similar bill in the Senate is still being deliberated in plenary.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he will seek a meeting with President Duterte to ask him to intervene to help LGUs put up funding.