TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has recognized the Bahay Pag-Asa Center in Biliran for achieving Level 3 accreditation, making it the first childcare facility of its kind in the country to receive this distinction.
The Level 3 accreditation is awarded to child-caring institutions, particularly those catering to Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL), that meet the highest standards in governance, case management, intervention programs, and sustainable rehabilitation efforts.
Under Republic Act 9344, also known as the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, provinces and highly urbanized cities are mandated to establish Bahay Pag-Asa Centers. As of the end of 2023, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) has accredited approximately 114 such centers nationwide.
Biliran Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Lissa Bermillo credited their achievement to prioritizing staff training and strengthening collaborations with medical professionals for psychological interventions. She emphasized that despite their success, further improvements are necessary.
“Since we have reached Level 3, we will sustain the technical assistance given by the JJWC and the Biliran provincial government,” Bermillo said. “However, we still need to regularize the center’s staff. That’s the goal. Our facilities also require upgrades, including better structures and a sufficient covered recreational area.”
Structural improvements aim to minimize runaway cases, which have occurred, albeit infrequently. The center, located in Larrazabal village in Naval, Biliran, was established in 2017 to accommodate CICLs facing charges such as rape, murder, and theft.
Currently, the facility shelters 10 CICLs undergoing rehabilitation. As a 24-hour child-caring institution, Bahay Pag-Asa provides short-term residential care fo