The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA), as amended, goes beyond helping children in conflict with the law (CICL). It envisions a society that protects all children by ensuring they grow up in a safe, nurturing environment, one that prevents them from being pushed to do crimes.
In an interview on DZMM Teleradyo on October 18, Atty. Tricia Clare A. Oco, Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), emphasizes that the law is not just for CICL, it is about the holistic protection and development of every child.
“Sinasabi din ng batas na dapat paghandaan mo yung buong environment mo, para sa prevention. Para lahat ng bata at yung mga batang ipapanganak pa ay pag nilagay sila doon sa society o community nila hindi sila natutulak na gumawa ng crime o natutulak na lumabag sa batas,” she stated.
(The law also emphasizes the need to prepare the environment so that all children, including those yet to be born, grow up in a community that does not push them toward committing crimes or breaking the law.)
Grounded in the science of brain development, JJWA recognizes that children and adults differ not only in age but also in maturity and decision making abiliites.
“Base siya sa science of brain development kasi sa totoo lang ang isang tao nagmamature fully yung kanyang brain at the age of 22 years old sa babae, 25 naman sa lalake,” Atty. Oco explained.
(It is based on the science of brain development, which shows that a person’s brain fully matures at around 22 years old for females and 25 years old for males.)
Atty. Oco added that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for rational thinking and mature decision-making develops last, while the emotional part matures much earlier, around age 15.
HOUSE OF HOPE
When a child strays from the right path, JJWA ensures a humane and child-sensitive approach to accountability. Rather than punishing them, the law emphasizes rehabilitation, recognizing that children should be guided toward positive change in ways appropriate to their age and development.
For those who have committed offenses, the JJWA provides temporary shelter in Bahay Pag-Asa (BPA), a 24-hour child-caring facility that serve as safe spaces for healing and transformation. It offers temporary shelter, psychosocial support, and structured rehabilitation program for CICL while their cases are ongoing. Staffed by social workers, psychologists, and, teachers, BPAs help children receive counseling, education, and skills training. Unlike prisons, BPAs are designed to be environments of care and recovery where young people are given the chance to learn, rebuild, and start anew.
As of 2025, there are 188 operational BPAs nationwide, with 115 managed by local government units (LGUs), and 3 by non-government organizations (NGOs). However, only 30 of the 82 provinces (37%) have fully complied with the requirement to establish such facilities.
Under the JJWA, LGUs are mandated to establish and manage these centers with technical assistance from the JJWC, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and other partner agencies. This ensures that children are not detained with adults but are instead cared for in a development-oriented, youth-friendly environment.
The law also classifies children aged 18 and below who commit offenses are classified as CICLs, while those exposed to poverty, neglect, or abuse are considered children at risk (CAR). Both are protected under the law’s rehabilitative and preventive framework, which emphasizes guidance and support instead of punishment.
The JJWC leads the coordination, monitoring, and policy-making efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the JJWA in the country. It also provides technical assistance and capacity-building for local governments, law enforcers, and social workers to promote child-sensitive handling of CICL and CAR cases.