Press Release

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is supporting a life skills development and rehabilitation project for Children In Conflict with the Law (CICL) in the Philippines due to the coronavirus pandemic's widening impact on disadvantaged children.

Last week, the Project to Strengthen the Support Systems for Children in Residential Care Facilities and Communities in 11 Regions in the Philippines was launched in partnership with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), and Japanese non-profit organization A Child's Trust is Ours to Nurture (ACTION).

As defined in the Juvenile Justice Act 2015, CICL is a child who is alleged or found to have committed an offence and has not completed eighteen years of age on the date of the commission of such offence. With the surge in COVID-19 cases, the need for intervention mechanisms for CICL and other disadvantaged children staying in residential care facilities becomes more prominent to help them cope with the real world and reintegrate back to society. In the Philippines, DSWD is serving about 10, 000 CICL, mostly 14-17 years old coming from poverty-stricken families. Data from the JJWC also state that Bahay Pagasa or residential care facilities under LGUs are in need of life skills intervention activities as most are alternative learning and spiritual activities.

"It has been more than a year since the COVID-19 outbreak changed our lives. No one has been spared from the pandemic, particularly the young people. Just as they are beginning to participate in the world, they had to face so many uncertainties now more than ever. They are worried about their future jobs, their mental well-being, and other vulnerabilities," said JICA Chief Representative AZUKIZAWA Eigo. "JICA welcomes this initiative to promote the rehabilitation and development of children who need special protection."

The project will develop life skills intervention toolkit for children, as well as train house parents and social workers on implementing life skills activities not only in the Philippines but also in Japanese centers.

Aside from this partnership to support vulnerable children in conflict with the law, JICA has also implemented projects for development of house parenting standards manual for residential care facilities in Central Luzon and other parts of the National Capital Region since 2012.