MAY 13, 2013

NR # 3102

Punish irresponsible parents, guardians - solon

A lawmaker is determined to re-file in the next Congress a measure imposing stiffer penalties to irresponsible parents or guardians. House Bill 5322 seeks to prosecute and penalize to the full extent of the law, parents or guardians who are irresponsible in the performance of their duties to their children, Rep. Carol Jayne Lopez (Party-list, YACAP) said. Lopez authored the measure saying it is the policy of the State to promote the welfare of children by necessarily preventing their exposure to conditions which are unwarranted, oppressive and perilous whether physically, emotionally or psychologically." The government means business in ensuring that the childrens parents or guardians shall refrain from neglecting their responsibility over their children to the end that the childrens utmost welfare is protected, Lopez said. The bill to be known as the Irresponsible Parenting Act shall provide penalties to parents or guardians who fail to provide proper education to their minors; and allowing their children to loiter, play or wander unsupervised in public, in motor vehicles, in traffic, and accident prone areas like streets. Also, the measure imposes penalties for failure to seek assistance or intervention by parents to children at risk as defined under Section 4(d) of Republic Act 9344 with the community based programs under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare System or any juvenile intervention program of the local government unit concerned. Violators face jail terms of four years and a fine of not more than P60,000 or both at the discretion of the court, Lopez said. Third time offender-parents or guardians who again fail to comply with the appropriate diversion programs and conditions established by the local social worker concerned in cases of children in conflict with the law as defined under Section 4(e) of RA 9344 and failure to prevent their children from becoming a member of a street gang shall also be penalized with imprisonment of not more than 16 years and a fine of not more than P80,000 at the discretion of the court, and so on, Lopez said. Likewise, parents or guardians who fail to secure their firearms rendering them accessible to minors, and whose children 17 years and below are found to participate in any criminal activity and had been convicted shall have penalty imposed upon the parents/guardians. The parent/guardian found liable shall also be required to undergo counseling by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Lopez said. (30) jsc