1st facility for female CICLs inaugurated

For the first time in the country, female children in conflict with the law (CICLs) now have a safe haven and a dedicated place to heal and rebuild their lives, as Cebu officially opened the country’s first Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) for women.

- Raphael Veloso, CNU Intern/ JG

Located in Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu, the facility was inaugurated on Friday, June 20, through a ceremonial blessing and ribbon-cutting led by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Committee on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns (CCFCJC) Vice Chairperson Associate Justice Geraldine Fiel-Macaraig, and DSWD Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Elaine Fallarcuna.

Joining them were outgoing Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia; re-elected Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado; Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) Executive Director Tricia Claire Oco; Rev. Fr. Eugenio Docoy Jr., former executive director of the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC); and DSWD-7 Director Shalaine Marie Lucero.

The new RRCY addresses the insufficient facility for female child offenders by providing a secure and nurturing environment where court-referred residents can undergo rehabilitation instead of facing traditional incarceration.