City Council urged to approve corporal punishment ordinance

CEBU, Philippines - A third-year student of the Cebu City Central Night High School stood up before the Cebu City Council yesterday and urged the city’s legislators to approve the proposed ordinance penalizing those who inflict corporal punishment on children.

Berhn Vincent Dosdos appeared before the City Council and aired his sentiments against parents and guardians who inflict corporal punishment on their children instead of correcting the misdemeanors in a good way.

“Let us abolish the culture of violence in disciplining us and let us maintain the way that is positive and right and not treating us as birds hampered in cages. I humbly ask the members of this council to urgently pass the ordinance protecting the rights of a child against corporal punishment,” Dosdos said.

Councilors Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, Alvin Dizon and Lea Ouano-Japson proposed the legislative measure in order to stop the imposition of corporal punishment on children by their guardians. The proposed measure was presented in a public hearing yesterday.

“Corporal punishment” is the use of physical force intended to cause pain, but not injury, for the purpose of correcting or controlling the child’s behavior. In a survey conducted, some parents said they became impatient that is why they resort to corporal punishment due to a child’s stubbornness and misconduct.

City legislators penned the ordinance to protect children from abuse by their parents, teachers in school, yayas, housemaids, caregivers, foster parents, relatives and other persons who have custody of child.

Michael Cornelia of PLAN International described violence against children as a complex and deep-rooted problem. “Solving it will require a comprehensive approach in all levels with all actors, including children themselves, working together in partnership,” he said. — (FREEMAN)