By LITO RULONA
Correspondent .
MAYOR Oscar Moreno on Monday signed the ordinance that strictly regulates the travel of children who are unaccompanied by their parents or recognized guardians to and from Cagayan de Oro.
Based on the new Unaccompanied Child Travel Protection Ordinance of 2018, authorities can question adults bringing with them children and require them to show documents pertaining to their and their the children’s identities. The city law was authored by Councilor Edna Dahino.
Dahino said the new city law could be used by authorities to prevent child trafficking.
She said the ordinance is in accordance with Section 12, Article II of the 1987 Constitution, that recognizes the sanctity of family life, and protects and strengthens the family as a basic autonomous social institution.
“At last, naa na gyud ta’y local law nga mag-dili sa mga kabataan nga mag-uban ni bisan kinsa. Ma-safety na gayud ang mga kabataan dinhi nga pahimuslan sa ilang kawad-on,” Dahino said.
She said the ordinance allows law enforcers to confront or appehend adults, foreigners or Filipino citizens, suspected of being child offenders. “Tapos na ilang maliligayang araw nga nagpahimulos sila sa atong mga kabataan,” Dahino said.
Violations have corresponding fines ranging from P3,000 to P5,000 without prejudice to the filing of charges.
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