Out for the minors

With the reports coming from barangays that gangs and fraternities have started to recruit minors, the barangays in Cebu City went out full force in implementing the curfew ordinance. Last weekend, I was with the tanods of Barangay Basak-San Nicolas as they scoured the streets of their area on the lookout for children still out by past 10 p.m. True enough, there were those lurking around, playing inside internet cafés and enjoying their time dancing to a fiesta disco. As they were taken to the barangay hall, they appeared to be apathetic, as if they didn't care that officials were there to reach out to them. When they were interviewed by the in-charge, all they could do was hang their heads in dismay and answer the routine questions.

Tension escalated as their parents came to fetch them. There were those who raised their voices and pointed fingers at their children for disobedience. A father specifically told his gay child that he looked like a fool believing that he was inside the house the whole time. Another mother also scolded her daughter for immediately leaving the kitchen table without asking permission where to go. There were also those kids who were lost and were simply under the care of their relatives who didn't care at all where they went.

An agreement was signed between guardian or parent and the barangay. It served as the first warning. In the event that the incident happens three times, the adult is required to render public service to the barangay. This could either be in the form of cleaning, helping out in logistics for certain activities and whatnot. The punishment may be not that harsh, but it is humiliating to serve the community because of the wrongdoing of your child.

However, I think the responsibility lies solely on the parent when it comes to disciplining their children to be home before curfew hours. As parents, they have the power to assert authority that going out will not be allowed. Although this will be subject to tantrums and whatnot, the parents remain in authority. Had their discipline over their children remained intact, they wouldn't be out in the streets late at night.

If gangs and other groups make their arrangement online on when and where they will meet, then I guess social media sites should enforce stricter guidelines. But overall, there must be guidelines from guardians on what they are doing online with their phones and computers. While not all children are blessed with adult supervision, maybe the owners of the sites and internet shops can do their part.

We cannot simply lose the next generation because they have become too comfortable with what they want to have. They need to be reared up in the way they should be, as world-class citizens of this country. How can we achieve that if they are out at night lurking, climbing trees to have their taste of alcohol? It is something worth thinking about.

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