Baguio village activates kids’ committee amid bullying issue

BAGUIO CITY (PNA) – This city's biggest village, Barangay Irisan, has activated a sub-committee focused on the protection of children from various dangers like bullying amid the public outrage over a viral bullying video involving junior high school student recently.

With a population of over 30,000, Baragay Irisan has organized children aged nine to 14 to be directly involved in the Sub-Committee on Bright Child (SCBC) under the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC).

The children-focused sub-committee of the barangay was mandated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) many years ago, but Barangay Irisan now deems it necessary to activate it amid serious issues involving children.

“We need to organize the youth so that they will be included in the programs of the barangay,” Barangay

Irisan Chairman Arthur Carlos said on the sidelines of the village children's general assembly on Thursday.

Carlos said activating the subcommittee is part of the local government's efforts to involve the children in its programs, empower them, and to enable them to protect themselves from incidents such as bullying.

The village chief added that the children’s attention needs to be focused and diverted from activities that may affect them or their studies.

“There will be several programs for the youth to divert their attention and to prevent them from wasting their time,” Carlos said.