• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
House Speaker Faustino Dy III called for stronger firearm-safety safeguards to prevent children from gaining access to guns inside their homes, saying the protection of children must extend both at home and in schools.
Speaking during the fifth LegisHear public consultation in Negros Occidental on Friday, Oct. 2, Dy said Congress is pursuing legislation that would require gun owners to exercise greater care in storing firearms in secure locations that cannot be reached by children.
“We are already pursuing a law to require gun owners to ensure that firearms are kept in safe places and cannot be reached by our children,” he said.
The Speaker said the issue has become increasingly important as parents worry about the safety of their children even while they are in school, following occurrence of shooting incidents inside school premises, where suspects and victims are learners.
Dy urged local communities, particularly barangay officials and other participants in the LegisHear, to submit additional recommendations on how Congress can further strengthen firearm-safety measures.
He stressed that preventing children from accessing firearms inside homes should be a shared responsibility.
“We all have the responsibility to keep our children safe, inside their homes and when they go out and are in their classrooms,” Dy said.
The Speaker said the recommendations gathered during the LegisHear would help lawmakers develop legislation that more effectively addresses safety concerns raised by communities.
He said the consultations are part of Congress’ effort to bring the legislative process closer to the people and ensure that proposed laws under the 20th Congress reflect actual concerns on the ground.
The LegisHear began in Dy’s home province of Isabela and was subsequently held in Butuan, Dumaguete and South Cotabato before reaching Negros Occidental.
Aside from public safety, Dy also identified education and agriculture as among the key concerns that Congress must address through legislation and the national budget.
He underscored the importance of education in providing Filipino children with better opportunities while also recognizing the contribution of farmers to the country’s food supply.
Dy said Congress must ensure that public funds are properly allocated to priority programs while pursuing measures that provide meaningful assistance and protection to farmers nationwide. | GPB
