Dahino lauds LGU, House of Hope partnership

City Councilor Edna Dahino said women and children police desk (WCPD) personnel are seeking help on how to deal with mentally-challenged

children they usually rescue. Dahino in a series of discussions with WCPD personnel, said one of their biggest problems is where to turn over the

mentally-challenged children because of the lack of facility.

She said a facility at the JR Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) cannot accommodate any more persons while the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) also do not have the facility.

“But we are happy that last Monday, the city and the House of Hope Foundation, a shelter for mentally-challenged, forged a partnership because we can use it to solve this problem of the WCPD,” she said.

Aside from the House of Hope partnership, the city will also build another home for juvenile delinquents, called Bahay Pag-Asa.

The city has allocated a total of P9 million for the establishment of the Bahay Pag-Asa, a home for juvenile delinquents in Maitum, Barangay Puerto.

The councilors’ allocation is on top of the Juvenile Justice Welfare Council’s (JJWC) P10million budget and the City’s P5-million fund for the shelter.

Section 49 of Republic Act 9344, or an Act establishing a Comprehensive Juvenile Justice and Welfare System, states that local government units shall set aside an amount to build youth detention homes as mandated by the Family Courts Act. Youth detention homes may also be established by private and nongovernment organizations licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, in consultation with the JJWC. PJ Orias