MDSW chief Jay Dela Fuente talks to rehabilitated youths on completion of their intervention program. (Photo from the Manila Public Information Office)
Under the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW)’s intervention program, juvenile delinquents can now be reintegrated into the city’s educational system, according to MDSW director Jay Reyes Dela Fuente.
This was announced following four minors who had previously figured in criminal offenses were successfully reintegrated after completing a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
Dela Fuente disclosed that the beneficiaries, all boys aged 14 and 15, underwent several months of counseling, behavioral intervention and values formation at the Manila Boystown Complex in Marikina City after being referred to the agency for separate cases involving theft and public disturbance.
“With the intervention program completed, the youths were formally released into the custody of their parents and guardians under our supervision,” Manila’s social welfare chief cited.
At the same, the city government has also coordinated with educational institutions to ensure the minors could resume their studies, allowing them to continue their education and pursue a more positive future.
“To support their reintegration into society, (we) also provided livelihood capital assistance to their families, giving them resources to improve their economic condition and reduce the likelihood that the children would return to unlawful activities,” Dela Fuente pointed out.
He highlighted that the initiative reflects the Manila City government’s commitment to restorative justice by focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment for young offenders.
He added that the program is anchored on ‘Serbisyong Yorme, Lahat May Pag-asa at Pagkakataon’, an initiative that seeks to provide children in conflict with the law a genuine second chance through education, family support, and community-based reintegration.
Accordingly, the MDSW’s intervention program recognizes that juvenile offenders can become productive citizens when provided with proper guidance, counseling, and opportunities to rebuild their lives in a supportive environment.
