BY BRAELL EBRADO | UM Intern
THE QUICK Response Team for Children’s Concern (QRTCC) is strengthening the enforcement of the travel permit requirements for minors traveling domestically in line with City Ordinance No. 0111-25, known as the Children’s Welfare Code.
During the Ispeak media conference on April 16, Jinky Roncal, RSW, QRTCC head, clarified that minors going on a trip without their parents are required to secure a travel permit, regardless of whether they are accompanied by other family members.
“If you say it’s the grandfather, grandmother, or cousin, even other family members, as long as the child is not accompanied by their biological parents, they are required to secure a travel permit,” she said.
Additionally, for individual applicants, travel permits can be processed by an assigned social worker within their respective barangays.
Moreover, minors traveling in groups, particularly coming from different barangays, are advised to process their travel permits directly at the QRTCC office for a more convenient application.
Roncal also said that an MTA (Minors Traveling Alone) help desk at the airport and seaport is available 24/7 with social workers to assist unaccompanied minors.
“There is an MTA (Minors Traveling Alone) help desk at airports and seaports with social workers on duty 24/7, where minors who were unable to secure travel permits from their district offices, CSDWO, or QRTCC may still obtain the necessary documents on-site,” Roncal said
She also reminded that all required documents must be complete when securing a travel permit at the help desk to avoid being offloaded.
The city ordinance was implemented as part of the protection and prevention mechanism for RA 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003) to prevent cases of child trafficking in Davao City.
