BAGUIO CITY – "The recent successive deaths of minors ages ten to nineteen shall not be in vain."
Thus, in essence, guaranteed local officials last week as they placed their heads together hoping to find a cure against the alarming spate of violence involving kids in the city.
During a consultation meeting relative to the establishment of "Task Force Safe Schools", September 27, the execs agreed to establish a linkage between elementary, high school, and college-level kids to create a family-like atmosphere in schools.
Seconding mayor Mauricio Domogan's assessment that discipline should start at home the group likewise sees "youth empowerment" as the ultimate solution to growing peace woes.
Upon the suggestion of alderman Peter Fianza, City Council Committee chair in education, the group agreed to strategize how older kids can be trained to lead the younger ones like good 'ates' and 'kuyas'.
"This way," Fianza said, "High School kids can look after primary-level kids and college-level kids can show their own leadership mettle vis-à-vis secondary kids."
Acting like dads and moms doing brain jog to address growing number of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) were mayor Mauricio Domogan, Baguio Schools Division Superintendent Ellen Donato, Social Welfare and Development Office chief Betty Fangasan, Saint Louis University Dean of Students Affairs Gil Espiritu, Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) chief David Lacdan, station commanders of the BCPO, parents themselves, and other concerned community members.
Vice mayor Daniel Farinas who ideated the task force said, "The [group] seeks a better and safer environment for students by pooling in efforts from those involved in peace and order, education, youth and other concerned sectors."
Meanwhile, Domogan said the involvement of kids would likewise serve to fill in gaps between parents and their kids whose relations are troubled.
He said, "It is unfair to blame the local police all the time when something happens to our kids. Discipline should start at home."
"The strategy of involving older kids to guide the younger ones would at least [ease] the lack of attention which troubled kids don't find at home."
Meantime, Lacdan reported that despite lack of personnel in BCPO, police visibility has been improved and coordination lines have been firmed up between designated personnel in substations and schools.
"This way," he said, "We could react faster should there be any security or peace and order concerns in all schools within the jurisdiction of any of the stations."
"It is likewise a good way of improving incident reportage for public consumption," he added.
The task force would reconvene sometime this October where the suggested strategy on the "Ate-ading" or "Kuya-ading" system shall be taken up in addition to other suggestions from other sectors which the group welcomes.
