Caloocan opens halfway house for youth offenders

MANILA, Philippines – Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri yesterday announced the opening of a halfway house for children in conflict with the law (CICL) at the Caloocan City Hall.

The shelter, run by the city social welfare department, is intended to provide temporary care and comfort to youth offenders and aims to remove them from a world of crime, said Echiverri.

The center is located at second level of the Legislative Building and is also adjacent to the Caloocan City Manpower Training Center for out-of-school youths of the city.

The shelter is currently equipped with fully furnished living quarters for boys and girls and an activity room to train, motivate and prepare them for their reintegration to society.

Echiverri, who chairs the local council for the protection of children, said he saw the need for a shelter for the youth offenders when he first became aware that some of them were being detained at the Caloocan City Jail along with hardened criminals.

He added that besides shielding them from negative influences, the new facility will be seen as a place where they can make their transformation under the supervision of trained personnel.

“The road to recovery for youth offenders is often long and arduous. Most of them find it difficult to break free from the bondage of substance abuse and the stigma of crime, but the city government will motivate and train them, and if possible give them employment opportunities in the future,” said the mayor.

The project is the first of its kind in the city and, if successful, will also become a model for similar centers in other parts of Caloocan, Echiverri said. – Jerry Botial