Council body seeks additional funds for better juvenile facility

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

The City Council Committee on Social Services is seeking more funds to establish a wider and better facilities for Bahay Pag-asa of the city to protect Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL).

City Councilor and Committee Chairman Reuben Daba said they need more funds to complete the project despite having the funds from the national government through Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) funding support.

Under 2017 approved budget of P8.6 Million for the Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Bahay Pag-asa following the Rules and Regulations of R.A. 9344 amended by R.A. 10630.

“Nangayo na kita og P10 million from the national for the operation apan kulang pa gyud tungod kay ang construction nato budget is P8.6 million but we (will) only have P5 million left. Alkanse kita og P3 million,” he said.

He said report given to the committee level concluded that crimes under CICL has been dramatically increasing but the city government has only minimal funds for the project.

“Dili pud nato pwede nga sila itampo nato sa (program for) persons with disability,” he said.

Daba said under his committee program after the CICL project, the PWDs will also follow.

“We will fast track (these) projects kay dako kini nga problem. This is urgent. Conducive kaayo nga kinahanglan mahatagan gyud sila og maayo nga rehabilitation,” he added.

In his letter request to the committee, Acting CSWD Officer Teddy Sabuga-a said his office requested from the national government, through Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council funding support for the establishment of Bahay Pag-asa here. The project aims to protect children in conflict with the law, he said.

According to Sabuga-a, in order to acquire funding support from the national government in the amount of P10 million, a resolution from the City Council is necessary.

Bahay Pag-asa will be constructed in a 10,000 square meter lot in Maitum, Upper Puerto, which has been donated to the city government.

Sabuga-a said the area is accessible to community facilities and will meet the basic needs of children. (with reports from pna)