Buhay Pag-Asa: Good Practices in Implementing the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Law in the New Normal

Buhay Pag-Asa: Good Practices in Implementing the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Law in the New Normal
Francis B. Bermido Jr.

In celebration of the 2021 Juvenile Justice and Welfare Consciousness, the Regional Juvenile Justice and Welfare Committee recognized the Preda Foundation for its best practices in implementing Republic Act (RA) 9344 as amended by RA 10630. The awarding was held online last 26 November 2021.

The Bukangliwayway Center, accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), is an open home without armed security guard, fences, or high walls. Freedom of choice to stay is an essential human decision afforded to each child. The Bukangliwayway Center provides residential care with all needs provided with emotional release therapy, education, empowerment and legal action for the children, games, sports and recreation with outings. It is located in an organic farm in Nagbayan, Castillejos, Zambales.

Last year, when the pandemic struck, the Preda Bukangliwayway Center became even more vital. Most Bahay Pag-asa and NGO-run centers refused to accept or admit CAR or CICL for fear that admitting them would bring the novel coronavirus into their facilities and cause a contagion. We at Preda have to innovate in order to continue delivering our services to the children.

Immediate designation of a quarantine room

To help ensure that no child stays in detention a day longer, Preda immediately designated a quarantine room in the Bukangliwayway Center where new arrivals stay for up to 14 days to prevent the entry of COVID-19 into the home. While in the quarantine room, the newly-admitted child is given self-learning activity kits (SLAKs) and materials for arts and crafts. His vitals like body temperature and oxygen levels are also routinely monitored.

Rapid antigen tests

At a time when there is scarcity of testing kits and government is not able to test individuals for COVID-19, Preda bought COVID-19 test kits. New arrivals to the Bukangliwayway Center are given the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) that detects the presence/absence of the antigen that causes COVID-19. When a child tests reactive in the RAT, the child is immediately referred to the municipal doctor for immediate medical attention. Steps taken after that depends on the instruction of the municipal doctor. Even when the RAT yields a negative result, new admissions still have to undergo quarantine albeit for a shorter period.

All direct Service providers/duty-bearers have been vaccinated

Almost two years into the pandemic, vaccine hesitancy in both far-flung and densely populated communities remains an issue in the Philippines despite the fact that government has procured millions of vaccines already.

Social workers and facilitators/houseparents assigned to the Bukangliwayway Center fall under the A4 Priority Group List. As soon as the vaccines became available, members of the Board of Preda and top management took the vaccines themselves in order to allay fears and encourage all the staff to get vaccinated, too. While employers cannot require employees to be vaccinated, the leadership provided by Preda management encouraged all social workers, facilitators/houseparents and cooks to get the vaccine themselves. The vaccination rate of staff assigned to the Bukangliwayway Center is 100 percent.

Minimizing risks

To minimize the risk of COVID-19 infections, staff were given the option to avail of low-cost financial loans for them to purchase their own motorcycle. With their own motorcycle, the staff need not take public transportation where they can be exposed to the virus.

Staff schedule was also revised so they report for work for straight two eight-hour shifts (total 16 hours) to lessen travel time and thus possible exposure to the virus. Preda also offered the staff free food and lodging if and when they choose to stay overnight in the staff room in the Bukangliwayway Center.

The New Normal

During this pandemic, the children do not attend face-to-face classes. Instead, the staff pick up modules from the schools, which the children study and answer in the Preda home, with assistance from the staff. Others are enrolled in the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System. When the academic year 2020-2021 ended in July 2021, several children either graduated from elementary or high school or passed the ALS evaluation.

Preda installed a reliable Internet connection at the Bukangliwayway Center, which has been indispensable during this pandemic especially for the online research and classes of the students. The Internet connection is also indispensable when court hearings are held online and children give testimony via video-conferencing.

To keep the communication between the children and their supportive kin, Preda set-up a holding area for visitors where, from a distance, they can talk with the children. When parents cannot travel to visit, Preda arranged video-calls between parents and the children.

The Preda Home is considered as one big bubble where social distancing is not required, so we are able to organize various recreational activities in the Preda home- in recognition of the children’s right to play and leisure. Every afternoon, they basketball and volleyball and engage in other recreational activities.

Older boys are taught shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), basic electrical installation and maintenance (EIM), barbering, and driving. During the pandemic, several boys successfully secured non-professional driver’s license from the LTO. Some of these boys, already reintegrated with their families, are able to find a living using their skills and license.

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