Juvenile Delinquency in the Philippines Upsurges

By: Paula Jane Escasinas

Jose Rizal once said “The youth is the hope of our nation” (AngKabataanangpag-asangbayan). Is this really happening now? Or is it the other way around? The rising number of youth involvement in crimes catches great attention from the news media and politicians. This crime caused great fear and dismay among the country. This prevailing issue greatly affects the development and the image of our country.

Youth involvement in crimes

Nowadays, the rate of juvenile delinquency in the Philippines upsurges; murder and physical assault topped the list of cases committed by minors followed by robbery, with minor offenders ranging from 15 to 18 years old. Base on the records of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), most of the young offenders are male, amounting to 9,390, while only 704 are female. Most of them came from the Visayas, Southern Tagalog and Ilocos Regions. In the National Capital Region, there are about 1,130 youth offences documented. Among these, 488 are crimes against property and 263 are crimes against person, whereas 234 amounts drug-related cases. DSWD admits that “the increasing number of delinquent youth has been a serious concern of the government since the late 1980’s.” Their population doubles every other year. Since then, the number has been constantly and aggressively increasing until now. Statistical records of juvenile delinquency in the country are difficult to be quantified accurately due to several reasons. Often, crimes committed by juveniles are not reported and those that are may not result in an arrest. Usually, crimes are more likely to be reported whenever they involve serious injury or large economic loss. The statistical reports may also depend to the willingness of the victims to report crimes to law enforcement agencies, and also in the inclination of the police to make records.

The levels and types of youth crimes can be used as an indicator of the general state of morality and law and order in a country, and consequently youth crime can be the source of ‘moral panics’ in a society. Other crimes committed by the Filipino youth involve the use of illicit drugs, rape, and many other forms of criminality. Given these disturbing facts about the Filipino youth of today, can we still say that the youth of today is the hope of our nation? How can they contribute in addressing the various social ills of our country today and bring hope to our beloved motherland if the youth itself were the ones who give ills in the country. Due to this, our nation remains trapped in a critical condition.

Who to BLAME?

This remains debatable. Is it the minor offender who committed the crime? Their parents? Or the government? Who will be held accountable to the crimes committed by an individual who’s still in a minor age?

Youth. Crime is equals to punishment. That is the first thing that comes to our mind whenever someone committed a crime or violated the law. However, there is an exception to the rule—a minor offender has not yet developed the capacity to discern what is right or wrong, that is why a child could not be put into prison. Under Presidential Decree No. 603 or the Child and WelfareCode of the Philippines, a child aged nine years old and below who committed a crime doesn't face any criminal liability. The same applies to youths aged 15 years old and below unless it is proven he or she committed the crime with discernment.

Parents. Filipino youth offenders should be understood in the context of the ‘Filipino family in crisis.' Family, as the basic unit of social production should be further viewed as a miniature of the larger Filipino in crisis. It is imperative to guide the youth in their physical, mental, and spiritual life, and this should be the main responsibility of every parent to their children. Parental guidance is the most effective way in moulding ones personality and values. This will certainly teach an individual on how to become a good and responsible citizen of his or her own country. Likewise, it will also prevent involvement of their children in crimes; thus, contributes to the lessening or prevention of the emerging rate of juvenile delinquency in the country. 

Government. The authority should be a role model among its citizen, as youth today sometimes shadows what the government do. They thought that what they saw through their eyes is right.

It will be useless for them to discipline or rule their citizens without practicing what they preach and order. It is important for every government leaders to remember that ‘in order to become a good leader, you must be a good follower first. In the Philippines, an individual is blamed for his wrongdoings, and yet not much is done by the government to correct structural inequality of the classes, overpopulation and the corruption of politicians and the judiciary. The status quo remains as the result of the absence of drastic changes that should be made by the government for the betterment of every individual in their community. 

Youth Imprisonment is not the SOLUTION

There are several laws which are implemented prior to juvenile delinquency; however it seems that existing laws are not enough or effective in suppressing the emergence of juvenile delinquency in the Philippines. What is the government doing? If the state is not prepared to help juvenile delinquents, surely the crime rate will continuously rise. Putting the juvenile delinquents behind bars to achieve the so called ‘justice’ will not lessen the crimes of which young villains involve themselves. Hence it will just become a source of the development of criminal capacity of young offenders, making them the “new adult criminals of tomorrow.” In addition, there is no need to implement a law that will subject a lower age limit of youth offenders to criminal liability. Community service, rather than imprisonment is more effective in holding minors accountable for their mistakes. Moreover, it will be an advantage to them; it will develop their skills and value the importance of work; thus, preventing them to commit crimes. The solution to the problem of controlling juvenile delinquency is not incarceration but good education and vocational training, thus emphasizing prevention and rehabilitation. And these could be achieved through economic and political empowerment of the Filipino family.

YOUTH: Hope or Fear?

Nowadays, the youth could inspire both hope and fear in the society. Fear in the form of apathy, criminality, and immorality. Hope in the form of participation, concern and volunteerism. Solving the country’s social problems, then, is a challenge for the youth to bring hope rather than fear into our society. The youth have a crucial role to play in shaping the future of our county. They have proven that they can be powerful agents of change. The question is, are they up to the challenge?