A bill seeking to implement a nationwide curfew for minors has been filed at the House of Representatives on August 8.
House Bill 1016, filed by Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, mandates the imposition of a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on minors or those below 18 years old.
In filing the Nationwide Curfew Act, the House Deputy Minority Leader said it is meant to keep peace and order and reduce crimes in the country.
“Children below the age of 18 are vulnerable to abuse to exploitation, drug addiction, and the commission of criminal acts, as well as also being at the risk of committing criminal offenses themselves,” Dy added.
Under the proposed law, minors who will violate the curfew will be brought to the nearest barangay hall or police station by any law enforcement officer.
The measure would also penalize parents of repeat offenders with a jail time of six months and/or a fine of P5,000.
The bill, however, exempts from the curfew the following:
- minors accompanied by any parent or guardian;
- minors on their way to or from a party, graduation ceremony, religious mass, or other extracurricular activities of their school or organization wherein their attendance is required or otherwise indispensable, or when such minors are out and unable to go home early due to circumstances beyond their control as verified by proper authorities concerned;
- minors engaged in an employment activity duly authorized by the Department of Labor and Employment, or going to or returning home from the same place of employment activity, without any detour or stop;
- a minor in a motor vehicle accompanied by a parent or guardian, or any adult authorized by the parent or guardian;
- a minor in an emergency situation;
- a minor out of his/her residence attending an official school, religious, recreational, educational, social, community, or other similar private activity sponsored by their respective city, municipality, barangay, school, or other similar private civic or religious organization recognized by the community that supervises the activity or when the minor is going to or returning home from such activity, without any detour or stop; and
- a minor with proper documentation he or she is a student and was dismissed from classes in the evening, or that he or she is a working student.
Thumbnail photo made via Canva
