Innocence?

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             Children are being exploited to gain profit by means of explicit acts. They are being stripped off their innocence and forced to do unimaginable things. Being exposed to these kind of environments can easily affect the child’s growth and can possibly traumatize them from the unwanted experience and these may lead them to the wrong path as they lack education and guidance. This makes them more capable to commit crimes at such a young age wherein now, actions can be punishable by law for them. Instead of penalizing them for their doings by jailing them, the government should consider giving more attention on children’s protection and prevention from abuse.

            A bill was passed concerning children who have committed heavy crimes and how they should be penalized the same way adults are being punished – facing jail time. Due to this bill being applied, unguided children who have no knowledge about morality will be detained and face prison sentences. The environment plays a big impact on a child growing up and how they will turn up someday. Putting them in prison might be worse for them considering the situation of being surrounded by a bunch of criminals that can badly influence them more. Not only do President Duterte’s allies want the age of criminal responsibility to be lowered, but they are also pushing to bring back the death penalty which makes children at risk of being sentenced to death when they have offended a law.

            President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies believe that lowering the age of criminal liability will protect the children from growing up to be law offenders and be used for criminal activities. But according to the oppositions, this only puts risks to children and there are other ways to correct their wrongdoing instead of casting them in jail. Now that a bill lowering the age of people that should be held accountable for their own actions from 15 to 9-years-old is becoming an issue since January, it only shows that children do need an ensured protection from parents, guardians, private groups, and laws. The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 argues from the rehabilitation and reintegration of children at risk and in conflict with the law. This exists to protect children from being exposed to an unpleasant environment that may affect their way of thinking and behaving. On the other hand, advocacy organizations such as UNICEF, Philippines and Bantay Bata 163 help protect children’s rights and support them to have a safe and healthy environment. Though organizations like those are provided for the children’s welfare, their ethics and morality should start with their parents or guardians who are expected to give them the proper guidance that is included in their rights. Children’s protection starts with their own families. Being unable to give this right to a child forces them to do or be involved in illegal activities that allows authorities to be held responsible for the child they are taking care of for the sake of their development as a human.

            The implementation of the bill enabling children as young as 9-year-olds to be jailed will not prevent the increasing number of children involved in crimes. A child’s behavior is molded while they are still young and it shows that their surroundings play a big role in their growth. Easily, their perception of the world can change because of their experiences – whether good or bad. The environment that a child belongs to is a substantial factor in helping them develop their mentality and by exposing them to damaging conditions, they are more likely to result to deviate from the normal path. There has been a rise in numbers of children offending the law and others at such young ages who are likely to go down the same path. In order to prevent these circumstances, children all around the country, especially in the slums, should be monitored and their lifestyle should be carefully assessed, and of their environment is considered to be disastrous and an unfit household for a child, then the children should immediately be removed from that place, be fostered in a foster home and attended with care.

            Law offending children will be more disassociated with society when they are situated in jail. Their behavior will be badly affected due to the environment being filled with criminals. More research is needed, however, to conduct and investigation on more injustices toward children, for instance, exploring the age of consent in the Philippines – which is shockingly 12-years-old. Children are at risk of being mistreated when they get locked up and this could cause severe trauma for their growth. Only when we shine the light on children’s right and stand against their injustices, will the country be able to move forward as one , for the youth is the face of the future.