The entrance to the dormitories of the Operation Second Chance in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, the home of 84 children in conflict with the law. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) said that the Operation Second Chance would need additional social workers and psychologists to handle the children in conflict with the law (CICL).
“The delicate nature of minors, especially those exposed to the negative elements of the society will also need careful treatment in their rehabilitation,” said Doctor Jeffrey Ibonez, the head of the DSWS.
He said the facility lacked enough social workers because the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had mandated that one social worker must handle only 15 children.
The facility of 84 residents only has only two social workers and lacks at least five more social workers to handle the children.
READ: Love rivalry’ led to a fight inside Operation Second Chance
Ibonez said that the DSWS would send additional social welfare workers to the facility and the office would also process additional social worker applicants.
Aside from the lack of social workers, he said the facillity also lacked enough psychologists to treat the trauma of the children and to monitor the psychological growth of the CICLs in their rehabilitation.
“Sturyahan lang nato ang mga bata. Mopatoo ra man gyod na sila, kailangan lang imonitor. (We need to talk to the children. They will obey, we just need to monitor them),” said Ibonez.
Read more: Fight inside Operation Second Chance an ‘isolated case’
For the hiring of social workers, however, he said, that they would still have to relay to the mayor the situation of the facility so that they could send more social workers and psychologists there especially after the violent altercation between two CICLs that happened there on Thursday, September 5.
Two CICLs got into a violent fight leading to one stabbing the other with a sharpened toothbrush. The injured CICL was brought to the Cebu City Medical Center.
The cause of the fight was rooted in a love triangle and bullying before the two children were placed in the facility. | dbs