Trouled kids need help first

Funny that a move is snowballing to amend the  Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 which exempts  minors aged  15 and below of any criminal liability.

The demand for a review was  brought about by several cases of  minors  involved in the killing of their parents.

While I understand this sentiment and sympathize with  relatives of the crime victims I am still convinced that the law should  be given a chance to work.

The provision exempting minors  15 years old and below  from criminal liability is based on scientific study, not the whims and caprices of the author of the bill, Sen. Pangilinan.

We should  focus instead on fully implementing the law that seeks the genuine  rehabilitation of children involved in crime.  Local governments are supposed to establish centers for children in conflict with the law but local officials object to this. They, like the police,  would rather have these children  arrested and placed in jail. But we have  tried this arrangement before and the children-inmates just became worse.

Basically, children are what they are – a reflection of the influences of the family and  community they grew up in.  I’d like to ask  parents  how well their offspring are doing. Those who take care of their kids find them turning out to be good citizens.

Unfortunately many children in conflict with the law are abandoned or were neglected by their parents or subject to abuse.  They need our attention and care, not  condemnation.

I am therefore asking our community to stand up for these children and help them  change for the better instead of throwing them into oblivion.  

Handling  children in conflict with the law is  a great challenge that requires sacrifice,  especially those who have been traumatized by neglect and abuse.

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Leonardo  Chiu, one of the consultants of Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, isn’t having an easy time getting his consultancy contract renewed by the city council, which deferred action on it.

There is no question that Nards  is highly qualified to be a City Hall consultant, where his services are engaged as a speech writer and political risk analyst.

I know him to be a  frank person who doesn’t  mince  words when his opinion is asked. He’s just  misunderstood. Nevertheless, he’s  an  asset to the office of the mayor and to Mayor  Rama.  But Nards should be diplomatic in his dealings especially with a hostile city council.

The city council should have respected the mayor’s choice of adviser based  on trust and confidence enjoyed by the job holder.   I just hope the councilors give Nards  some leeway considering his health condition.

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I still believe that flyovers are needed for a developed city like Cebu but the question is what type of flyover should we build?

In Bangkok,  flyovers are long and wide stretches called skyways. Those in Cebu City are short two-lane overpasses that don’t solve  traffic congestion. The best thing to do is for the government to come up with a transportation  master plan to guide  where flyovers or skyways should be placed.

The city has to rationalize the traffic situation and approach it holistically instead of acting without the benefit of study.  As a university faculty member, our experience shows that it’s best to undertake a study first then validate it through  implementation. I  hope this  experience can help our politicians deal with the recent controversy.