The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has reiterated its firm opposition to lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR), as the nation marks Juvenile Justice and Consciousness Week from November 24 to 28, 2025.
DSWD Assistant Secretary Zabedin Azis, speaking on behalf of the department and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), emphasized that reducing the MACR would not address the root causes of crime involving minors.
“Together with the JJWC [Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council], the DSWD firmly believes that lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility is not the solution,” Azis stated.
He stressed that, like all children, minors who come into conflict with the law deserve opportunities for rehabilitation and redemption.
“We will ensure that no child is left behind and that every child who has come in conflict with the law, as well as those who have been victims of violence, is given a second chance and hope for a brighter future,” the DSWD official added.
The renewed statement comes amid ongoing debates in Congress, particularly as Senator Robin Padilla continues to push a bill that seeks to lower the criminal liability age from 15 to 10 years old for offenses classified as heinous crimes.