Real Change Should Not Hurt Our

Children:
Why the Minimum Age of Criminal
Responsibility Should Not Be Lowered to Nine
Years Old?
 Children are the world’s most
valuable resource and its best hope
for the future

- John F. Kennedy
JJWC
MEMBER
AGENCIES
 Republic Act No. 9344
Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act
of 2006
Title Layout
Subtitle
  The most effective diversionary strategy is to
remove children from the youth justice system
by significantly raising the age of criminal
responsibility

Lowering the  Child witnesses of domestic violence exhibit

more aggressive and antisocial behaviors as
MACR will not well as fearful and inhibited behaviors
stop children
from
 Lowering the MACR and putting children in jail
involvement in will not address the issue of criminal
crimes syndicates using children to commit crimes
  Strategies under RA 9344 are long-term crime
prevention mechanisms

 Adults commit around 98% of crimes reported

in the country (only 2% are committed by
children)
Lowering the
MACR will
not reduce  UN CRC Second Country Report: Higher crime
rate involving children when the MACR was
crime rate still at nine years old
 Cramped, disease-ridden
and filthy facilities;
inadequate food;
physical, sexual and
Lowering the psychological abuse against children as young as
MACR is 9 years old; children in the company of adult
against the
murderers, rapists and pedophiles; children
best interest of
the child enrolled in “college of crimes” where they
graduate into bigger and more serious crimes.
  RA 9344 requires 81 provinces and 33 HUCs to
construct Bahay Pag-asa facilities (only 36
BPAs as of date)

Lowering the  Compliance is low due to non-readiness of

MACR will be LGUs
costly and
burdensome to  Move to lower MACR will burden both the
the National and Local Governments
Government
  Scientific research on child and adolescent
development and juvenile delinquency provide
evidence that children and adolescents differ
significantly from adults in decision-making,
propensity to engage in risky behavior,
impulse control, identity development and
Lowering the overall maturity
MACR ignores
scientific proof  Early onset of offending may be caused by
on children’s impairment of brain structure and functioning
brain due to childhood adversity, poverty and
development abuse
 Pronouncement of President Duterte

“On the international front and

community of nations, let me
reiterate that the Republic of
the Philippines will honor
treaties and international
obligations.” –Pres. Duterte

During President Duterte’s Inaugural Speech on The Philippines is one of the State
June 30, 2016, Malacanang Palace Parties to the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child (UN CRC)
  UN General Comment No. 10:
 Establish a higher MACR in compliance with
UN CRC
 Progressively increase the minimum age
once a higher MACR has been established
Lowering the
MACR is  UN Committee on the Rights of Child
against our  Commended the Philippines’ passage of RA
legal obligations 9344
as a State Party  Urged the Philippines to ensure that the
to UN CRC MACR is not lowered
  State Policy: promote and protect the physical,
moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-
being of Filipino children and youth

 Lowered MACR will result in increased number

of younger children deprived of liberty, at risk
of being abused, subjected to cruelty and
exploitation
Lowering the
MACR is
 Clear violation of the policy of the State to
unconstitutional
defend the right of children to special
protection from all forms of neglect, abuse,
cruelty and exploitation
 Lowering the MACR is not the solution

 The government should address the gaps and ensure the full
implementation of RA 9344 as amended by RA 10630
Restorative Juvenile Justice and
Welfare System Works!!!
I am a Social Worker.

I say NO to lowering the

Minimum Age of Criminal
Responsibility.

I say YES to full implementation

of the Juvenile Justice and
Welfare Act!!!
 Maraming salamat po!
Magandang tanghali sa lahat.

Real Change Should Not Hurt Our Children:

Why the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility Should Not
Be Lowered to Nine Years Old?