The days of “delinquent” parents in Tagbilaran City are numbered. In reaction to the desire of Mayor Dan Lim to go hard after parents who refuse to send their children to school, an ordinance is being prepared that would penalize such acts. Councilor Lucille Yap-Lagunay confirmed that the proposed ordinance which she hopes to introduce was an offshoot of the mayor's irritation against irresponsible parents who do deny children their right to education. “After all our efforts to provide all the support we can give to our pupils in our elementary schools, there are still parents who refuse to send their children to school. We cannot tolerate this,” Lim had declared in the past.

The mayor pointed out that the support in the form of a complete package including free uniforms, school bags and school supplies, is more than what other cities are giving. “But instead of reciprocating this by encouraging their children to study harder, there are parents who prefer to promote mendicancy by forcing their children to beg and even steal,” the mayor remarked. Lim said that he would not allow this kind of parents to go unpunished in Tagbilaran. “I will not be a party to a situation where parents who make sure their children end up on the wrong side of the law,” he added.

The mayor said he will do everything to punish these parents who rob their children of their entire future. Lagunay, who served as Lim's executive assistant before her election last year, agreed with the mayor that the state must take appropriate measures to protect children from all forms of neglect and negligent treatment, among other responsibilities. Citing section 1 article XIV of the Constitution, she noted that the state has the responsibility to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and to take appropriate steps to make education accessible to all. The Children's Welfare Code of Tagbilaran states that it is the policy of the local government that the rights of children to their survival, protection, participation and development must be given high priority. Lagunay said a delinquent parent is one who, among other things, refuses to send children to elementary school and relinquishes his moral duty to enhance the development and welfare of a child through schooling.           

Lim wants parents penalized with imprisonment and fine subject to the court's discretion subject to the limitations of the local government as far as the imposition of penalties are concerned. The mayor said he wants to send a clear message to parents that while they have the freedom to marry and raise their own families, they also have the responsibility over the lives of their children including basic education. “If they insist in depriving their children the education that we desperately want to give them, they will have to suffer the consequences,” he warned. Lim said the only hope of children from poor families to a better life is to pursue education, work hard and live a law-abiding life. “When parents themselves deprive their children the education that would give them better work opportunities and in fact disobey the law by forcing them to beg and steal, the government has to step in,” he added.