To ensure the safety of the young residents, Bontoc, Mountain Province (MP) strictly enforced a curfew for minors through Municipal Ordinance No. 303, Series of 2018 under Article 4, Section 48.
The said ordinance aims to prioritize youth safety as studies have shown that curfews can effectively improve community security, discipline, health, and crime prevention. This is relevant in addressing concerns about youth involvement in crime and violence through limitations of unsupervised nighttime activities.
Legal Basis
Juvenile curfew laws are local ordinances that prohibit young people of a certain age (usually under 18) from being in a public place or business establishment during nighttime hours.
As highlighted in Article 139 of Presidential Decree No. 603, also known as the Child and Youth Welfare Code authorizes Local Government Units to set curfew hours for minors . The code states, “City or municipal councils may prescribe such curfew hours for children as may be warranted by local conditions”.
Police Corporal Valentine Gayamman of Bontoc-Municipal Police Station emphasized the importance of enforcing the curfew in the municipality, “Tapno safety and peaceful ti community ket ada iti inted ni Chief PNP a “Pinaigting na Pagpapatrolya” ken ma-maintain iti IEC (Information and Education Campaigns) distribution regarding rape, drug, ken curfew hours on minor.” (For the safety and peaceful community Chief PNP gave an activity called “Pinaigting na Pagpapatrolya” and by maintaining IEC distribution like rape, drug and curfew hours for minor).
He also stated that the minors must be inside their houses, and no drunkards and establishments must be seen exceeding the curfew hour given. He also added that the curfew hours of the province start at 9:00 PM and end at 4:00 AM.
Imposing Curfew in Place
To enforce curfew effectively, the police officers patrol the municipality during curfew hours. Likewise, Joana Imingan, one of the residents of Poblacion, acknowledged the positive impact of the strict implementation of curfew.
“I agree there are police officers who patrol every night and as of now, we did not hear about any incidents. You can observe that the night is silent and you cannot hear people’s noise. The establishment also closes at 9 PM,” she said.
Minors themselves see the benefits of the curfew hours implementation. Xhaleah Bosantog, a minor resident of Barangay Loc-ong shared that the curfew protects them from harm and any unwanted incidents.
“Curfew is preventing us from dangers tapos awan ti masaktan ken mas lalo awan ti ma-kidnap,” said Bosantog. (Curfew is preventing us from dangers and so that no one will get hurt and especially no one will be kidnapped).