Every Valentine’s Day reminds us that love takes on different forms. One of the most meaningful is compassion, the commitment of society to guide, protect, and support children who have lost their way.

For children in conflict with the law (CICL) and children at risk (CAR), love is not shown through punishment, but through accountability and second chances, principles embedded in the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA) or the Republic Act No. 9344, as amended.

The JJWA recognizes that children who commit offenses are still children, and they are capable of changing. It emphasizes that children should be treated differently from adults in the justice system. Section 2 of the law states that the State must always act in the best interest of the child, focusing on guidance, rehabilitation, and reintegration rather than punitive measures.

One of the key provisions of the law to protect children from being criminalized too early is Section 6, which sets the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) at above 15 years old. Children below this age are not held criminally liable and are instead provided with appropriate intervention programs to address their needs and behavior. Children aged 15 and below 18 are also protected by the law when they act without fully understanding their actions, ensuring they are guided and rehabilitated rather than being punished. At the same time, the law recognizes that true care includes accountability. One way to show love is by holding them responsible for their actions and guiding them to change.

Love in action also shows through the diversion program which is a result of a process of determining a child’s responsibility and treatment on the basis of his/her social, cultural, economic, psychological or educational background.

When children need temporary care and protection while awaiting court’s disposition of their cases or they need intensive intervention in a residential setting, they are placed in a Bahay Pag-Asa instead of regular detention facilities or jails. In Bahay Pag-Asa, they are assessed of their individual needs by a multi-disciplinary team and are provided with corresponding interventions such as psychosocial support, values formation, and life skills training to help them rebuild their lives.

This Valentine’s season, the JJWA reminds us that love is also about responsibility, to guide children, believe that they can change, and give them hope.