Press Release
March 20, 2019

Invest heavily in youth so we can get quality population - Gordon

Senator Richard J. Gordon called on the government to invest in the country's youth to ensure a quality population and to address the growing number of children getting in conflict with the law.

Gordon said the government should allot funding for measures that would ensure that children would be educated and well-guided so that the country will have a quality population. Such measures include: having truancy officers in every barangay; hiring more guidance counselors so that there would be at least one for every grade level; getting more social welfare officers; and implementing a feeding program in all public schools.

"Magastos ito pero ito ay investment para magkaroon tayo ng quality population. Yung mga truancy officers, sisiguruhin nila na ang mga bata sa barangay nila ay pumapasok sa eskwela. Pagdating naman sa eskwela, dapat siguraduhin na may mga guidance counselors para magabayan ang mga bata. At dapat siguraduhin na may pagkain ang mga bata dahil isa yun sa mga dahilan kaya maraming mga batang hindi nakakapasok. Yung social welfare officers, aalamin nila kung may problema ang mga bata sa bahay, kung meron, maaari silang kupkupin ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development)," the chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights said.

"Nung kamakailan may pinatay sa Cebu, ang pumatay 17-year old. Kaya dun sa aking bill, Senate Bill No. 2198, ang gusto ko ay holistic approach to strengthening our youth social welfare programs. Kung nasa eskwela ang mga bata, hindi yan makakapag-isip na gumawa ng krimen. Their time will be better occupied," he added.

Gordon issued the statement in the wake of the gruesome murder of 16-year old Christine Lee Silawan in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu. Her body was found skinned and mutilated in a vacant lot last March 11. She was stabbed several times on her neck and body, her skull was exposed and she was naked from the waist down.

Last Saturday, the Philippine National Police arrested the victim's 17-year old former boyfriend for suspected involvement in the killing after he was found in a CCTV footage with the victim. He has since confessed that he killed his former girlfriend due to jealousy.

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