TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The city government, through the Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC), chaired by City Mayor Darwin Estrañero, has expressed concern over the rising number of children in conflict with the law (CICL), as reported by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
According to CSWDO, during the Second Quarter LCPC meeting on April 21, the number of CICL cases is rapidly increasing, with 51 recorded cases in 2024, while 31 cases have already been recorded in just the first quarter of 2025.
Robbery is the most common claimed offense, with 14 recorded cases, followed by theft, acts of lasciviousness, rape, anti-voyeurism, and physical injuries.
In response, the mayor urged the barangays to work with the city government to address the situation. He suggested that the barangay focus more on empowerment programs.
“Ikabil da kuma nga programa ti kakapitan, ipaayab da dagiti youth, agayab ti speakers ken dagitoy pastors tayo,” the mayor said, emphasizing the need to a regularly conducted moral recovery activities alike.
City Local Government Operations Officer Helen Lacuesta agreed on the importance of capacitating barangay officials and employees on their roles in preventing such cases.
“Kailangan ma-orient din natin ang barangay especially dagiyay Barangay Values Formation Officers ken kagawad nga akin akem iti committee on social services para alam din nila ang mga trabaho and roles nila,” she said.
Lacuesta also noted that Sangguniang Kabataan funds are no longer used for infrastructure projects. “Talagang walang infra [infrastructure projects] sa funds nila. We discourage infra projects but rather more on empowerment activities.” By Rio Bassong
