Senior officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) called on the public over the weekend to support the amended Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA), which aims to protect the rights and welfare of children in conflict with the law.

In her message to partners during the culminating event of the 13th Juvenile Justice and Welfare Week (JJWeek) celebration in Quezon City, DSWD Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Attached and Supervised Agencies (ASAs) Elaine Fallarcuna emphasized the need to reinforce the roles of all stakeholders in creating a supportive and restorative environment for children in conflict with the law (CICLs).

“In the spirit of collaboration, let us continue to work together in raising awareness, advocating for the protection of children’s rights, and advancing the goals of the JJWA. Through our unified efforts, we can create a safer, and more just society for our children,” Assistant Secretary Fallarcuna said.

DSWD ASA Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, in her closing video message, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to prevent children from engaging in delinquent behavior.

“We call forth everyone to give guidance, encouragement, and understanding to children. By making our society full of love, respect, and opportunity, we can help prevent children from committing offenses and provide positive pathways for those who may have made mistakes,” Undersecretary Aglipay-Villar said.

The 13th JJWeek culminating event also featured the awarding of the winners of the Search for the Juvenile Justice Management Information System (JJMIS) Utilizer.

The Bahay Pag-Asa Surigao City in Surigao del Norte received the first place in the Best JJMIS Utilizer awards for its consistent support and utilization of the JJMIS.

The Bahay Pag-Asa Muntinlupa City won second place while the Half-Way Home Bago City in Negros Occidental took third.

The JJMIS is a case management and referral sub-system that will aid duty-bearers in the implementation and monitoring of programs for CICLs and children at risk.