Aristotle defines virtue as the mean between extremes of vice. The virtue of “courage” is the mean between “cowardice” and “rashness”. It is not easy to be virtuous for we human beings readily hold on to extremes.
While there are indeed cases of child abuse, and there are already existing laws against these, I am deeply concerned that the anti-corporal punishment ordinance approved by the majority of our legislators of Cebu City goes to the opposite extreme. It throws away the baby with the bathwater.
Its basic defect is that it identifies time-tested and even biblically sanctioned forms of discipline with child abuse. It assumes that any experience of pain is contrary to or cannot lead to positive discipline. But is this really so? Parents who resort to moderate corporal punishment, avow to this method’s effectiveness in establishing boundaries.
Furthermore, the ordinance’s subjective language (“embarass” and “verbal abuse”) and its lumping together of unacceptable behavior (“use of external substance”) with legitimate acts of parental discipline (“scolding”) casts serious doubt to its wisdom. Its eradication of any form of traditional discipline is based on a modern Western concept extolling individualism over the family. After this ordinance, what then – a child emancipation act that does away with any form of parental control over their children?
The Cebu City ordinance is an example of a copy-paste-legislation based on a Western model that seems to belittle our local culture and our own accumulated wisdom as a people. Is there, perhaps, foreign funding involved in shoving this ordinance down our throats? Just asking. I am also of the opinion that if approved and implemented, it would seriously undermine efforts for good citizenship and good leadership.
May I ask our honorable councilors to reconsider and listen closely to the voices of wisdom and virtue?