Measures proposed vs ‘taping’ of babies

CEBU, Philippines - Two ordinances that seek for the protection of newly-born babies in medical facilities in Cebu are now being pushed before the Provincial Board.

This was after the practice of ‘taping’ the lips of newborns was revealed following the controversy now surrounding the Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity House, Inc.

PB members Arleigh Sitoy proposed an “Anti-Mouth Sealing Ordinance of Cebu,” which seeks to ban the use of tapes to seal the mouth of newly-born babies.

Under the proposed measure, a person who performs and ‘induces’ his personnel to commit the violation would suffer a 6-month imprisonment as the penalty and a fine of not more than P5, 000.

On the other hand, a person who ‘conspires’ to cover-up the violation would be slapped with a three-month imprisonment and a fine of not more than P3,000.

Sitoy felt compelled to come up with the measure because children are already entrusted to the care of hospitals and medical institutions upon birth they are expected to provide them proper care and attention.

His proposed ordinance was referred to the committee on women, family and minors for its comments and recommendations in yesterday’s PB session.

A related ordinance was also proposed by PB Members Sun Shimura and Jude Thaddeus Sybico requiring all public and private medical institutions in the province to install a Closed-Circuit Television  camera in their nurseries to monitor the situation of babies and capture any misdemeanor being committed.

As proposed violators would be fined P10,000 on first offense; P30,000 on second offense; and P50,000 on third offense, which is also penalized with revocation of the institution’s permit and filing of a criminal case.

Shimura and Sybico also wanted that an inspection team, composed of the Cebu Provincial Police Office chief, Chief of the Hospital, National Bureau of Investigation representative, among others, would do the mapping and monitoring of the hospitals to ensure full compliance of the ordinance.

The team would be required to conduct regular checking every six months.

At least five cases of babies being taped at the CPCMHI have been reported the past weeks.

Meanwhile, CHR—7’s Atty. Dante Jadman said that as of yesterday, only four of the nine member agencies of the task force formed to look into the controversy and come up with findings submitted their evaluation reports as of yesterday, which was supposedly the first day of the drafting of the inter-agency task force’s resolution.

He said that in their deliberation last June 4 with the member agencies of the Regional Subcommittee for Welfare of Children (RSCWC), they uncovered lapses and violations CPCMHI committed.

He, however, could not divulge yet the content of the evaluation reports of the agencies, as the inter-agency task force is expected to come up with collated report 15 days from yesterday. (FREEMAN)