By Mariela Angella Oladive
If your kids are dreaming of jingling bells this holiday season, make sure an adult is jingling along.
The Iloilo City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has issued a holiday decree: no adults, no caroling.
Assistant CSWDO Officer Merlyn Gison emphasized during a press briefing on November 20 that unsupervised caroling poses safety risks for children.
“It’s dangerous for children to go out alone, especially at night. What if they are attacked by dogs? While caroling is a beloved tradition, we cannot allow children to do so without proper adult supervision,” Gison said.
The policy is part of the CSWDO’s efforts to ensure the safety of minors during the holiday season and the upcoming Dinagyang Festival. These initiatives align with the launch of the Revitalizing Reach-Out and Intensifying Programs (Re-RAIS) for Safety and Welfare of Children and Community for the Protection, which begins on November 25.
Re-RAIS will implement stricter curfew enforcement and additional safety measures to protect minors throughout the festive period.
The CSWDO is collaborating with groups organizing formal caroling events, encouraging them to coordinate with the office to ensure the safety of minors involved.
One of the program’s key measures is the enforcement of curfew hours for minors, set from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Minors caught violating curfew will face consequences.
“The Re-RAIS program includes teams that will patrol the city, distribute safety advisories, and help maintain order during the Christmas season and the Dinagyang Festival,” Gison said.
The CSWDO is working with barangay officials, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), and the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) to strengthen child protection measures.
Major Sheila Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson, said the police are monitoring for potential risks, including gang-related activities.
The Liga ng mga Barangay expressed full support for the safety initiatives, with barangay captains pledging to increase patrols and deploy barangay tanods to ensure minors’ safety.
Gison also stressed that parents hold significant responsibility for their children’s actions.
“Parents must monitor their children’s movements. If a minor violates the curfew, parents could face civil liability,” she said, citing the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (Republic Act No. 9344).
Minors caught violating curfew will be brought to the nearest barangay hall or police station.
For the first offense, parents must render 48 hours of community service and/or pay a PHP 2,000 fine, with counseling for the child.
For a second offense, parents face 72 hours of community service and/or a PHP 3,000 fine, along with mandatory counseling.
For subsequent offenses, parents may face six months in prison and/or a PHP 5,000 fine, while the minor will undergo counseling through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
