The Provincial Council for the Protection of Children (PCPC), the Provincial Committee on Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Violence Against Women and Children (PICAT-VAWC) together with various member agencies held its 3rd Quarter Joint meeting at Gold Berry Hotel today, September 15, 2023.

The agenda of the joint meeting includes issues such as the Child Labor Cases in the province of Iloilo.

A representative from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) discussed profiling child labourers and providing services from concerned government agencies to remove them from severe cases of child labour.

Police Maj. Ma. Liza Nofuente of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office also presented data regarding cases of child abuse and exploitation in the province of Iloilo, records of children in conflict with the law as well as the police intensified campaign for Project HAKUS (Hatagan Atensyon ang Kabataan Aton Ulikdan kag Suportahan).

Under this project, parents of children with special needs are given orientation to provide them with care and protection against violence.

The Balay Pagbag-o was also presented during the meeting. This is an Iloilo Province facility based in Barangay Pungtod, Cabatuan, Iloilo which provides residential care to children in conflict with the law and committed heinous crimes while waiting for court disposition of their cases.

The establishment and activation of Human Rights Action Centers were also tackled in the meeting. Mr. Cristopher Montano of CHR Region 6 describes this center as a unit that acts on human rights matters, including human rights promotion and immediate response to complaints of human rights violations.

During the 3rd quarter joint meeting of PCPC and PCAT-VAWC, its members also talked about a resolution on the establishment of the Children’s Desk and an Executive Order on the four legacies for children.

Before the meeting adjourned, the council members thoroughly discussed the local development plan for children.

(Joel Z. Tormon/Capitol News)