MANILA, Philippines -- The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is asking lawmakers to amend Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, because of its alleged “inadequacy” to address the need to rehabilitate and reform juvenile delinquents, an official said on Wednesday.

At a forum, Commissioner Grepor Belgica said RA 9344, also known as the “Pangilinan Law,” has been unable to provide funding for juvenile correctional facilities and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to house minors who have committed crimes.

“The juvenile delinquency act speaks of nothing on what the government should do with youth offenders,” Belgica told INQUIRER.net.

Under RA 9344, children below the age of 18 who have committed crimes should be detained separately from adults.

Local government units are mandated to set up “youth detention homes,” which would provide “interventions, approaches and strategies that will enable them to improve their social functioning with the end goal of reintegration to their families and as productive members of their communities.”

But Belgica said the law does not say how these “youth detention homes” are to be funded

“The inadequacy of the law is that there are no funds allocated for the facilities to house these offenders especially the high risk offenders,” he added.

Belgica also said police are hesitant to arrest youth offenders because of the law’s lack of clarity as well as the lack of detention facilities.

Director Leopoldo Bataoil, Philippine National Police chief for community relations, said he has ordered all units under his office to organize youth fraternities and gangs and lead them into more “positive undertakings.”

Both Belgica and Bataoil also stressed that educating the youth begins at home.

“Responsible parenthood is very important,” Bataoil said.

“The problem is persistent within our family,” Belgica said.