Former President Rodrigo Duterte joined Senator Christopher “Bong” Go when he recently visited Balay Dangupan in Davao City to give gifts and other giveaways to orphans and staff of the facility.
Established in 2018, Balay Dangupan is a crisis intervention facility of the Davao City government that serves as a temporary substitute home for children.
Both Duterte and Go distributed Christmas baskets, meals, gift certificates, and balls for basketball and volleyball to 49 children and 29 shelter workers on Friday, December 23.
Go has been persistently pushing for more children protection programs, noting that children are one of the most vulnerable sectors in the country as they are not fully capable of defending themselves.
Recently, the senator echoed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s appeal to have stronger government interventions against child exploitation and violence.
“Nakakabahala at nakakalungkot po kung mga kabataan pa po ang nagiging biktima dito. It is the State's duty, like the parent of the nation, to protect its citizen, especially those who are not able to protect themselves, such as children who are vulnerable po and helpless (It is disturbing and sad that young people are becoming victims here. It is the State's duty, like the parent of the nation, to protect its citizens, especially those who are not able to protect themselves, such as children who are vulnerable and helpless),” Go said in a statement.
The lawmaker earlier refiled Senate Bill No. 1188 which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 7610 or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act” in a bid to enhance the country’s protective measures for children.
The proposed law seeks to amend Section 5 (b) of the Anti-Child Abuse Law regarding the penalty for persons engaging in lascivious conduct or sexual activity with minors under 12 years of age.
He said the proposed amendment seeks to increase the penalty for any individual found violating the law under the said provision to reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua.
Because currently, under the law, lascivious acts against a minor below 12 years old are penalized with reclusion temporal in its medium period while the same act committed against a child above 12 years but below 18 years of age is penalized with reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua.
“I will continue to push and support initiatives and programs na nakalaan para sa proteksyon ng ating mga kabataan dahil sila ang pag-asa ng ating bayan (that are geared towards the protection of our youth because they are our nation’s hope and future),” Go underscored.