The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 5 and the Regional
Juvenile Justice and Welfare Committee (RJJWC) conducted an orientation to the Provincial/City Social Welfare and Development Officers/Budget Officers and its committee members in the region on the guidelines on the operation of Bahay Pag-Asa .The activity was held yesterday at La Roca Veranda Suites and Restaurant in Legazpi City.

“The department urges the LGU’s for the establishment of Bahay Pag-Asa in their localities,
this is in reference to Republic Act (RA) 9344 as amended by RA 10630 which mandates the establishment and operation of Bahay Pag-Asa in every province and highly urbanized city (HUC),” said Asst. Regional Director for Administration Victoria Tagum.

Bahay Pag-Asa is a 24-hour child-caring institution established, funded and managed by LGUs and licensed and/or accredited NGOs. It provides short-term residential care for those children in conflict with the law (CICL) who are above 15 but below 18 years of age who are waiting for court disposition of their cases or transfer to other agencies or jurisdiction. It’s also a place where CICL’s including those below the criminal responsibility are provided with necessary intensive interventions.

Under the law, the DSWD and JJWC shall issue guidelines to determine and identify the provinces and cities which will be prioritized for the grant of government funding.

The amendatory law further states that the LGU’s concerned shall make available, from its own resources or assets, their counterpart share is equivalent to the national government contribution of five million pesos (5,000,000.00).

The “Bahay Pag-asa” requires staffing requirements composed of a social worker, a psychologist, a medical doctor, nurse, and a houseparent.

According to Social Welfare Officer III, Genoveva Barcelon and RJJWC secretariat 3 provinces were recommended for Bicol region for the establishment of the Bahay Pag-Asa, these are Camarines Norte, Albay and Naga City.

To date, there are 21 “Bahay Pag-Asa” in the 9 regions in the country.